'A good cop and a great man': Florida officer dies of coronavirus after traveling to Boston, police say

CLERMONT, Fla. - On Wednesday, the Clermont Police Department shared that Officer Conrad Buckley has passed away of coronavirus after traveling to Boston.

“It’s just a shock,” Northeastern University Police Department Sergeant Jason Grueter said. “He’s the type of guy who would literally give you the shirt off his back, which I’m sure he’s done.”

He passed away Tuesday from COVID-19. The department said he traveled to see family in Boston last month, quarantined when he got back to Florida, but soon started showing symptoms.He was a member of the department for two years.

Clermont’s Police Chief Charles Broadway put out a statement saying, “The city of Clermont lost a good cop and a great man.”

Before his time in Clermont, Officer Buckley served as part of the Northeastern University Police Department in Boston for many years.

“I doesn’t surprise me one bit that he could uproot himself from the northeast, land in some small town in Florida and find a way to fit in,” Northeastern University Police Department Sergeant Detective Brian Nocerino said.  

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His former coworkers say he was a great guy.

“Conrad was like a brother to many of us and a lot of us looked up to him,” Northeastern University Police Department Latent Meghan Caine said. “He was a mentor. He really brought the best out in me and a lot of others.”

They said he made an impact on the students and young athletes there, too.

“He would just be a goofy guy, a serious guy, humble, full of integrity, sincere and you always walked away from a conversation with him feeling better about yourself,” Sgt. Grueter said.

His friends tell FOX 35 News that Officer Buckley and his wife always wanted to move to Florida.

“Florida was always on his bucket list and one day I remember him telling me in conversation, if not now, then when,” Sgt. Grueter said. “One of our good friends met him this summer and said that she had never seen him happier.”

Members of the Northeastern University Police Department say they will be working with officers in Clermont to help honor Officer Buckley’s life. They ask that the privacy of Buckley's family be respected.

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