Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Nick Kozak died as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.
Officer Kozak was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Forest Park Police Department for 19 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Police Officer Nicholas Kozak died on November 27, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 50.
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, sister, nieces, and nephews.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-37B9A238- 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 Kozak gave the Forest Park Police Department 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the Forest Park community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Kozak.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Nicholas Kozak served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Police Officer Nicholas Kozak 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 IL, 66 of 1,318 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 5% of this state's fallen. That is 4.1 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Forest Park Police Department, 1 of 4 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 25% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Nicholas Kozak's cause is highlighted.
How Nicholas Kozak Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Nicholas Kozak is highlighted in Nov.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Forest Park Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
