Roll of Honor
Incident
Corrections Deputy Willie Dortch died from complications as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty while serving at Shelby County Jail at 201 Poplar Avenue in Memphis.
Deputy Dortch had served with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office for 24 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Corrections Deputy Willie Lois Dortch died on April 9, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 57.
He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 6 at Shelby County Sheriff's Office.
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 two sons.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-EDD86B56- 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.
Corrections Deputy Dortch gave the Shelby County Sheriff's Office 24 years.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Corrections Deputy Dortch.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Corrections Deputy Willie Lois Dortch 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 TN, 43 of 769 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 5.6% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Shelby County Sheriff's Office, 6 of 21 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 28.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Willie Lois Dortch's cause is highlighted.
How Willie Lois Dortch Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Willie Lois Dortch is highlighted in Apr.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
20 officers from Shelby County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
