Roll of Honor
Thomas Anthony Brooks
Incident
Correctional Officer Thomas Brooks died as a result of contracting COVID-19 while serving at the Kentucky State Reformatory at 3001 KY-146 in La Grange.
Correctional Officer Brooks was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Kentucky Department of Corrections for 26 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Correctional Officer Thomas Anthony Brooks died on August 13, 2020 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 63.
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, who is also a Correctional Officer, two daughters, granddaughter, two sisters, brother, and father.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-EA01291C- 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 Brooks gave the Kentucky Department of Corrections 26 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Kentucky. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Brooks.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Thomas Anthony Brooks served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Correctional Officer Thomas Anthony Brooks 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 Anthony Brooks's cause is highlighted.
How Thomas Anthony Brooks Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas Anthony Brooks is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
16 officers from Kentucky Department of Corrections are honored on badge.nw.
