Roll of Honor
Incident
Correctional Officer Juan Cruz died from complications as a result of contracting COVID-19 while assigned to the Fresno County Correctional Facility at 1225 M Street in Fresno.
Correctional Officer Cruz had served with the Fresno County Sheriff's Office for nine years and served with other agencies for 13 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Correctional Officer Juan Cruz, Jr. died on November 5, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 52.
He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 2 at Fresno 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.
Survivors
He is survived by two daughters, two sons, and his mother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-86B8139F- 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 Officer Cruz gave the Fresno County Sheriff's Office 22 years.
Thank you for your service to the Fresno community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Cruz.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Correctional Officer Juan Cruz, Jr. 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 Fresno County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 15 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 20% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Juan Cruz, Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Juan Cruz, Jr. Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Juan Cruz, Jr. is highlighted in Nov.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
14 officers from Fresno County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
