Gary Robert Taccone
Agency patch
Detective Sergeant

Gary Robert Taccone

Erie Police Department — Erie, PA
Illness Veteran →
End of Watch November 3, 2021
Age 56
Tour of Duty 24 yrs
The Vigil Panel 178 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Sergeant Gary Taccone died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Sergeant Taccone was a United States Air Force veteran. He had served with the Erie Police Department for 24 years.

COVID-19 and Law Enforcement

Detective Sergeant Gary Robert Taccone died on November 3, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 56.

He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 2 at Erie Police Department.

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 son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-F60D63F5
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.
Detective Sergeant Taccone gave the Erie Police Department 24 years.
Thank you for your service to the Erie community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Sergeant Taccone.

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

Agency

Location Erie, PA
Platform Identity epd.erie.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 3, 2021
Tour of Duty 24 yrs
Age 56
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness
Cause Detail COVID19

Military Service

Gary Robert Taccone served in the Air Force (1988–1992) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Detective Sergeant Gary Robert Taccone 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 PA, 121 of 1,261 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 9.6% of this state's fallen. That is 0.5 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.

At Erie Police Department, 3 of 14 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 21.4% of this agency's fallen.

Erie Police Department
3
of 14 officers
21.4% Illness
PA — Statewide
121
of 1,261 officers
9.6% 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. Gary Robert Taccone'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 Gary Robert Taccone Compares

Age at End of Watch
56
This officer
Avg for Illness: 47.8 years
Years of Service
24
This officer
Avg for Illness: 18.9 years

When Illness Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Gary Robert Taccone is highlighted in Nov.

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