Incident
Corrections Officer Melissa France died from complications as a result of contracting COVID-19 while serving at the Corrections Division Transport Platoon at 39 Churchill Road in Oswego.
Corrections Officer France was a United States Navy veteran who served 10 years with the Oswego County Sheriff's Office. She was instrumental in organizing community events, charities, the scholarship committee, and partnering the sheriff's office with the local community.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Corrections Officer Melissa M. France died on January 17, 2022 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 45.
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
She is survived by her daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-3CB7E483- 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.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Melissa. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Corrections Officer France gave the Oswego County Sheriff's Office 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Oswego community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Corrections Officer France.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Melissa M. France served in the Navy (1998â2002) before joining law enforcement.
Corrections Officer Melissa M. France 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 NY, 629 of 2,147 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 29.3% of this state's fallen. That is 20.2 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.
At Oswego County Sheriff's Office, 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. Melissa M. France's cause is highlighted.
How Melissa M. France Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Melissa M. France is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Oswego County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
