Lorain Co Sheriff's Deputy Dies On Last Day On The Job

ELYRIA, OH — A Lorain County Sheriff's deputy died Wednesday after experiencing a medical emergency while on duty. It was his last full work day, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Deputy Joel Rapose, 52, was working at the Lorain County Justice Center in Elyria when the emergency started. An ambulance rushed Rapose to University Hospitals, where he was later pronounced dead, a Lorain County Sheriff's Office spokesperson announced Thursday morning.

Rapose called Amherst, Ohio his home. He began his law enforcement career in 1991 when he joined the Grafton Police Department. He became a full-time Lorain County Sheriff's drug task force member in 1998.

On Sept. 25, 2001, Rapose became a Sheriff's deputy, a role he had held for the past 20 years.

"Deputy Rapose was working his last scheduled work day with the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office as he had elected to resign from the Sheriff’s Office although he had expressed an interest in returning on a part-time basis," the Sheriff's Office spokesperson said. Rapose's last official day with the office was supposed to be Saturday.

Rapose leaves behind a 16-year-old son, a fiancé, and a father. Funeral arrangement are still being determined by the family.