Roll of Honor
Incident
Lieutenant Michael Godawa died from complications as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.
Lieutenant Godawa had served with the Baton Rouge Police Department for 27 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Lieutenant Michael Stephen Godawa died on August 1, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 65.
He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 2 at Baton Rouge Police Dept..
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 two children, five grandchildren, father, sister, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-LA-AD8E1758- 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.
Lieutenant Godawa gave the Baton Rouge Police Department 27 years.
Thank you for your service to the Baton Rouge community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant Godawa.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Lieutenant Michael Stephen Godawa 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 LA, 28 of 595 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 4.7% of this state's fallen. That is 4.4 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Baton Rouge Police Dept., 2 of 27 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 7.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Michael Stephen Godawa's cause is highlighted.
How Michael Stephen Godawa Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Michael Stephen Godawa is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
26 officers from Baton Rouge Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
