Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Frank Tobar died from complications of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty while supervising a Police Explorer Academy.
Sergeant Tobar had served with the Palm Bay Police Department for 17 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Sergeant Francisco Jose Tobar died on August 20, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 54.
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.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-17B1E88A- 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.
Sergeant Tobar gave the Palm Bay Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Palm Bay community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Tobar.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Francisco Jose Tobar 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 FL, 81 of 1,008 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 8% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Palm Bay Police Department, 1 of 3 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Francisco Jose Tobar's cause is highlighted.
How Francisco Jose Tobar Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Francisco Jose Tobar is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Palm Bay Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
