Funeral, Procession Details Announced For Fallen RivCo Lieutenant

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Funeral services have been announced for Riverside County Sheriff's Correctional Lt. Steve Taylor who died in the line of duty as a result of COVID-19 complications.

A law enforcement procession (emergency vehicles only) scheduled Friday will escort the fallen lawman to Riverside's Grove Community Church, 19900 Grove Community Drive. The procession will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Evans-Brown Mortuary, 27010 Encanto Drive in Menifee. The procession route was not provided.

Those who would like to send flowers may have them delivered directly to Grove Community Church by 9 a.m. Friday.

Taylor died Feb. 24. He was 51, the department said.

His passing is considered a "line of duty death" because he died from COVID complications and contracted the virus while serving as an employee in the county's jail system, according to department spokesperson Sgt. Brandi Swan. Taylor was most recently assigned to the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.

"On behalf of the entire Department, we extend our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Correctional Lieutenant Steve Taylor," the sheriff's department wrote in a news release.

Taylor began his service with the department as a correctional deputy on June 8, 1995, and was assigned to the Indio county jail. In July 1995, he was transferred to the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta. On September 14, 2006, he was promoted to correctional corporal and transferred to the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.

In December of 2011, Taylor was promoted to correctional sergeant and transferred back to the Southwest Detention Center, where he remained until 2018 when he was transferred to the Sheriff's Inmate Training and Education Bureau in Banning.

On January 17, 2019, Taylor was promoted to his current rank of correctional lieutenant and again transferred to the Robert Presley Detention Center. He lived with his family in Moreno Valley, according to Swan.

Law enforcement deaths that occur in the line of duty qualify surviving family members to receive compensation.

Taylor's passing marks the third COVID-related death of a sworn Riverside County Sheriff's Department deputy that has been confirmed by the department. Deputy David Werksman died on April 2, 2020, just 24 hours after the passing of Deputy Terrell Young.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco reiterated in September that he would not mandate COVID-19 vaccination for his department's sworn officers, staff, or future new hires. Taylor's vaccination status and health background were not released.