Roll of Honor
Incident
Master Sergeant Ron Owen died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in a presumed exposure while on duty.
Sergeant Owen had served with the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department for 25 years and had previously served with the Fulton Police Department for 20 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Master Sergeant Ronald L. Owen died on November 19, 2020 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 72.
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, son, and three grandchildren.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-ONEIN-TR-B356214F- 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.
Master Sergeant Owen gave the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department 45 years.
Thank you for your service to the Canastota community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Master Sergeant Owen.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Master Sergeant Ronald L. Owen 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ronald L. Owen's cause is highlighted.
How Ronald L. Owen Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Ronald L. Owen is highlighted in Nov.