Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Ricky Tostenson died from complications as a result of contracting COVID-19 while working at a Newnan High School basketball game at 190 Lagrange Street in Newnan.
Officer Tostenson had served with the Newnan Police Department for 10 years and served as the school resource officer at Newnan High School. He had served in law enforcement for 18 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Police Officer Richard Lynn Tostenson died on January 6, 2022 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 51.
He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 2 at Newnan 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 wife, two children, and one grandchild.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-A86EFE54- 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.
Police Officer Tostenson gave the Newnan Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Newnan community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Tostenson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Richard Lynn Tostenson 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 GA, 63 of 903 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.1 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Newnan Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Richard Lynn Tostenson's cause is highlighted.
How Richard Lynn Tostenson Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Richard Lynn Tostenson is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Newnan Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
