Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Tom Fonte died as the result of contracting HIV following several blood transfusions that were required after a line-of-duty injury.
On September 25th, 1978, Sergeant Fonte and his partner were on patrol when they observed a large amount of smoke coming from a manufacturing facility at 7702 Maie Avenue. When they arrived on the scene they observed numerous large drums of paint igniting and blocking the exit from the facility. The two deputies were able to clear a path, which allowed approximately 40 employees to escape.
Both deputies then entered the facility twice and carried an unconscious employee out both times, saving their lives. Both deputies suffered singed hair and smoke inhalation during the rescue.
Sergeant Fonte required numerous surgeries as a result of the toxic smoke that he inhaled. One of the transfusions he received during surgery contained blood tainted with HIV. His condition deteriorated over the coming years, and he died as a result on October 2nd, 1990.
Sergeant Fonte was a United States Air Force veteran who served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, assigned to the Firestone Station.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, also a Sheriff's deputy with the department, his daughter, and his son, who went on to become a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy as well.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-0C5893D7- 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
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Sergeant Fonte served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Thomas J. Fonte served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Sergeant Thomas J. Fonte 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 CA, 75 of 1,837 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 4.1% of this state's fallen. That is 5 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept., 7 of 120 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 5.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas J. Fonte's cause is highlighted.
How Thomas J. Fonte Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas J. Fonte is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
119 officers from Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept. are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
