John Davis Starks

Incident Details

Cause of Death:
Duty-related illness

Date/Time of Incident:
Sunday, November 21, 2021

Incident to Death Duration:
17 days

Incident Location:
501 East Court Street, Jeffersonville

Incident County:
Clark

Incident Township:
Jeffersonville

Weapon Used:
None

Suspect Disposition:
None

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Officer
John Davis Starks
Clark County Sheriff's Department
Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Panel 42W, Line 33 (2022)

Included (2022)

Officer John Starks died from complications after contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during an ongoing global pandemic.

After becoming infected while on duty, he was hospitalized at Clark Memorial Hospital in Jeffersonville where he remained until he passed away.

Officer Starks, from Jeffersonville, had served with the department for nearly 24 years, retiring as a lieutenant, before returning 17 years later as a school resource officer assigned to both campuses of the Borden-Henryville School Corporation.

He was survived by his wife, Sandy; sons, John (Jennifer) and David (Crystal); seven grandchildren; brothers, Stanley, Stanley Jr., Michael, Warren, Craig and Anthony; and sisters, Diane McAtee and Martha Starks-Williams.

Historical Notes

• Officer Starks is the eighth of eight Indiana line of duty deaths in 2021.
• He is the second line of duty death of the Clark County Sheriff's Department.
• His line of duty death is the 15th that has originated from Clark County.

As of February 1, 2024, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused 1,180,042 deaths in the United States and 26,307 deaths in Indiana. From November 2020 through January 2021, the deadliest wave was responsible for 7,140 deaths with the highest occurring in December 2020 when 3,038 died statewide. The pandemic has caused 874 known law enforcement officer deaths in the United States.

Personal Details

Age: 70

Law Enforcement Service:
29 years, 10 months

Badge #: A41

Burial Place:
Cremated

• Officer Starks is the eighth of eight Indiana line of duty deaths in 2021.• He is the second line of duty death of the Clark County Sheriff's Department.• His line of duty death is the 15th that has originated from Clark County.

• Officer Starks is the eighth of eight Indiana line of duty deaths in 2021.
• He is the second line of duty death of the Clark County Sheriff's Department.
• His line of duty death is the 15th that has originated from Clark County.