Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Irving Callender died as a result of complications after contracting COVID-19 while on duty.
Detective Callender had served with the Newark Police Department for 15 years and was assigned to the Executive Protection Unit.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Detective Irving Gene Callender, III died on August 22, 2020 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 43.
He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 8 at Newark Police Division.
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, two sons, and niece whom he raised.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NJ-C411DBC9- 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.
Detective Callender gave the Newark Police Division 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Newark community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Callender.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective Irving Gene Callender, III 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 NJ, 77 of 646 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 11.9% of this state's fallen. That is 2.8 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.
At Newark Police Division, 8 of 58 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 13.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Irving Gene Callender, III's cause is highlighted.
How Irving Gene Callender, III Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Irving Gene Callender, III is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
57 officers from Newark Police Division are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
