Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Rick Howe died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.
Sergeant Howe had served with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for 24 years and was a Motorcycle Unit supervisor.
Sergeant Howe had served with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for 24 years and was a Motorcycle Unit supervisor.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Sergeant Richard Charles Howe died on October 21, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 51.
He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 3 at Pittsburgh Bureau of Police.
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, two daughters, and granddaughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-E83B1461- 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 Howe gave the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police 24 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Howe.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Richard Charles Howe 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 PA, 121 of 1,261 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 9.6% of this state's fallen. That is 0.5 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.
At Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, 13 of 101 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 12.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Richard Charles Howe's cause is highlighted.
How Richard Charles Howe Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Richard Charles Howe is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
100 officers from Pittsburgh Bureau of Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
