Roll of Honor
Incident
Correctional Deputy Jeremy Smith died as a result of complications after contracting COVID-19 during an outbreak among employees and inmates at the Shelby County Jail.
Correctional Deputy Smith, On today, the 4th anniversary of your death I would just like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice for the citizens of Shelby County. And to your Family and loved ones, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy. There is no tougher job in Law Enforcement than that of a Corrections Officer.
BPA Mike Casey United States Border Patrol(Retired) April 21st, 2024
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Correctional Deputy Jeremy Devaughn Smith died on April 21, 2020 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 40.
He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 6 at Shelby County Sheriff's Office.
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.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-TN-F1D3AF4A- 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.
Correctional Deputy Smith gave the Shelby County Sheriff's Office 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Deputy Smith.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Correctional Deputy Jeremy Devaughn Smith 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 TN, 43 of 769 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 5.6% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Shelby County Sheriff's Office, 6 of 21 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 28.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Jeremy Devaughn Smith's cause is highlighted.
How Jeremy Devaughn Smith Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Jeremy Devaughn Smith is highlighted in Apr.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
20 officers from Shelby County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
