Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Bill Darnell died as the result of complications after contracting COVID-19 while on duty.
In 2008 Sergeant Darnell was ambushed and shot point-blank in the face during a domestic disturbance call. Despite his wounds, Sergeant Darnell was able to fight back and killed his attacker. As a result of his courage, Sergeant Darnell was presented with one of the nation's Top Cop awards by President Barack Obama in 2009.
Sergeant Darnell had served with the DeWitt Township Police Department for 20 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Sergeant William James Darnell died on November 4, 2020 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 52.
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 and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-E865AD2A- 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.
Sergeant Darnell gave the DeWitt Township Police Department 20 years.
Thank you for your service to the DeWitt community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Darnell.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant William James Darnell 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 MI, 23 of 718 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 3.2% of this state's fallen. That is 5.9 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At DeWitt Township Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William James Darnell's cause is highlighted.
How William James Darnell Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. William James Darnell is highlighted in Nov.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from DeWitt Township Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
