Donald Albert Poffenroth
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Donald Albert Poffenroth

Illness
End of Watch October 20, 2021
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
The Vigil Panel 178 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Don Poffenroth died from complications as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Deputy Poffenroth had served with the Pershing County Sheriff's Office for 18 years.

COVID-19 and Law Enforcement

Deputy Sheriff Donald Albert Poffenroth died on October 20, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty.

He is one of 884 officers honored here.

Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.

Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NV-22093C6A
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
April 2, 2026
Last updated
July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Deputy Sheriff Poffenroth gave the Pershing County Sheriff's Office 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Lovelock community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Poffenroth.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Location Lovelock, NV
Platform Identity pcso.pershing.nv.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 20, 2021
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness

Deputy Sheriff Donald Albert Poffenroth is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In NV, 14 of 145 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 9.7% of this state's fallen. That is 0.6 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.

Pershing County Sheriff's Office
1
of 1 officers
100% Illness
NV — Statewide
14
of 145 officers
9.7% Illness
Nationwide
2,974
of 32,508 officers
9.1% Illness

National Cause Distribution

How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Donald Albert Poffenroth's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Donald Albert Poffenroth Compares

Years of Service
18
This officer
Avg for Illness: 18.9 years

When Illness Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Donald Albert Poffenroth is highlighted in Oct.

Jan
294
Feb
198
Mar
185
Apr
226
May
201
Jun
181
Jul
217
Aug
281
Sep
291
Oct
376
Nov
239
Dec
285

Incident Location