WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A Washington Metropolitan Police sergeant died Monday after suffering a medical emergency while on duty.
Officials said that the death of Sgt. Mark Eckenrode, a 23-year veteran of the force who was assigned to the Court Liaison Division, was not related to COVID-19, according to WJLA-TV.
"Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of a beloved husband, father, friend and MPD member," D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham. "We grieve with the officer’s family but also find strength knowing that he made a positive impact on others."
With heavy hearts, members of the department are mourning their fallen colleague.
"Every day during roll call, he would come around and shake everyone's hands and say thank you for your service, which means a lot to the men and women going out there fighting crime every day," Medgar Webster, the Vice-Chair of the D.C. Police Union, told the news station. "He was a great sergeant, a very good supervisor, and an even better friend."
The 54-year-old is survived by his wife and three children.
With the coronavirus is having an impact on funerals across the country, Webster said he hopes the department and the community can find other ways to honor Eckenrode after his more than two decades of service in the District.
