Roll of Honor
Thomas Alan Beard
Incident
Correctional Officer Thomas Beard died as a result of contracting COVID-19 while serving at the Western Kentucky Correctional Complex at 374 New Bethel Church Road in Fredonia.
Officer Beard was a United States Army National Guard veteran and had served with the Kentucky Department of Corrections for seven years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Correctional Officer Thomas Alan Beard died on September 29, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 57.
He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 4 at Kentucky Department of Corrections.
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, mother, and three sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-A57C5106- 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 Beard gave the Kentucky Department of Corrections 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Kentucky. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Beard.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Thomas Alan Beard served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Correctional Officer Thomas Alan Beard 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 KY, 21 of 983 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 2.1% of this state's fallen. That is 7 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Kentucky Department of Corrections, 4 of 17 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 23.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas Alan Beard's cause is highlighted.
How Thomas Alan Beard Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas Alan Beard is highlighted in Sep.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
16 officers from Kentucky Department of Corrections are honored on badge.nw.
