Miguel Angel Martínez-Ortiz
Agency patch
Agent

Miguel Angel Martínez-Ortiz

Puerto Rico Police Department — San Juan, 127
Illness
End of Watch April 24, 2020
Age 56
Tour of Duty 28 yrs
The Vigil Panel 171 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Agent Miguel Martínez-Ortiz died after contracting COVID-19 while on duty.

Agent Martínez-Ortiz had served with the Puerto Rico Police Department for 28 years and was assigned to a federal Homeland Security Investigations task force.

Thank you for your service and please know that your sacrifice is one that will never, ever be forgotten by your law enforcement brethren. Rest in peace always and may God Bless your family and loved ones always.

Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo Delaware State Police (Retired) April 24th, 2021

COVID-19 and Law Enforcement

Agent Miguel Angel Martínez-Ortiz died on April 24, 2020 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 56.

He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 7 at Puerto Rico Police Department.

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.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-PR-54827282
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.
Agent Martínez-Ortiz gave the Puerto Rico Police Department 28 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Juan community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Agent Martínez-Ortiz.

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

Agency

Location San Juan, 127
Platform Identity prpd.pr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 24, 2020
Tour of Duty 28 yrs
Age 56
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness

Agent Miguel Angel Martínez-Ortiz 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 127, 7 of 388 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 1.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.3 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.

At Puerto Rico Police Department, 7 of 364 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 1.9% of this agency's fallen.

Puerto Rico Police Department
7
of 364 officers
1.9% Illness
127 — Statewide
7
of 388 officers
1.8% 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. Miguel Angel Martínez-Ortiz'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 Miguel Angel Martínez-Ortiz Compares

Age at End of Watch
56
This officer
Avg for Illness: 47.8 years
Years of Service
28
This officer
Avg for Illness: 18.9 years

When Illness Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Miguel Angel Martínez-Ortiz is highlighted in Apr.

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