Brian J. Gaunt
Agency patch
Sergeant

Brian J. Gaunt

Beaverton Police Department — Beaverton, OR
Illness Veteran →
End of Watch October 24, 2021
Age 48
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
The Vigil Panel 178 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Brian Gaunt died as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Sergeant Gaunt was a United States Coast Guard veteran who served 21 years with the Beaverton Police Department and had been assigned as a patrol officer, detective, and canine handler.

COVID-19 and Law Enforcement

Sergeant Brian J. Gaunt died on October 24, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 48.

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-OR-176F8212
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 Gaunt gave the Beaverton Police Department 21 years.
Thank you for your service to the Beaverton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Gaunt.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Location Beaverton, OR
Platform Identity bpd.washington.or.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 24, 2021
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
Age 48
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness

Military Service

Brian J. Gaunt served in the Coast Guard (1993–1997) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Sergeant Brian J. Gaunt 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 OR, 5 of 197 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 2.5% of this state's fallen. That is 6.6 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.

Beaverton Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Illness
OR — Statewide
5
of 197 officers
2.5% Illness
Nationwide
2,974
of 32,508 officers
9.1% Illness

National Cause Distribution

How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Brian J. Gaunt's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Brian J. Gaunt Compares

Age at End of Watch
48
This officer
Avg for Illness: 47.8 years
Years of Service
21
This officer
Avg for Illness: 18.9 years

When Illness Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Brian J. Gaunt is highlighted in Oct.

Jan
294
Feb
198
Mar
185
Apr
226
May
201
Jun
181
Jul
217
Aug
281
Sep
291
Oct
376
Nov
239
Dec
285

Incident Location