Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Rick Entmeier died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.
Sergeant Entmeier was a United States Army veteran. He has served with the Fort Smith Police Department for 20 years and had previously served two years with the Shady Point Police Department and eight years with the Leflore County Sheriff's Office.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Sergeant Rick Entmeier died on June 18, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 51.
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, two sons, two grandchildren, sister, and parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AR-B1AF1363- 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 Entmeier gave the Fort Smith Police Department 30 years.
Thank you for your service to the Fort Smith community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Entmeier.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Rick Entmeier served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Sergeant Rick Entmeier 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 AR, 17 of 372 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 4.6% of this state's fallen. That is 4.5 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Fort Smith Police Department, 1 of 12 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 8.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Rick Entmeier's cause is highlighted.
How Rick Entmeier Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Rick Entmeier is highlighted in Jun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
11 officers from Fort Smith Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
