Dane County Sheriff’s Office Mourns Loss Of Deputy To COVID-19

A deputy with the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, who is believed to have contracted the coronavirus while on duty, has died.

Sheriff David Mahoney said in a statement that Richard “Rick” Treadwell, 61, is believed to be Wisconsin’s first law enforcement officer to die from the virus after contracting it while on duty.

Treadwell had been with the department since 1995 and worked as a recruiter and instructor. The statement did not provide specifics, but said “all evidence” indicates Treadwell contracted the virus while on duty.

“All of Wisconsin law enforcement stands beside Rick’s family, friends, and coworkers at the Dane County Sheriff’s Office,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul in a statement.

His body was escorted from a hospital Saturday by a law enforcement procession.