Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 | 6:21 p.m.
Phil Closi, a patrol officer for 21 years with Metro Police, died Thursday from COVID-19 complications, the police union said in a social media post.
Closi leaves behind a wife, son and daughter, according to a Facebook post from the Las Vegas Police Protective Association.
Closi was an area representative for the union for several years while working out of Convention Center Area Command, according to the post.
“Phil will be greatly missed by his family and friends,” the post read.
One commenter on the union’s post said Closi was his D.A.R.E. officer in grade school. Another said he went on a ride-along with Closi and later became his colleague in the department.
“I remember him having the typical east coast attitude and rough exterior,” Jason Seagull commented. “On our ride-along, we went to an in custody call at a hotel where a mother abandoned her young daughter.
“We were there for hours. Phil went into dad mode and flipped on some videos for her to watch and it was a hit.”
The union didn’t indicate if Closi was vaccinated against the virus. He’s the third from Metro to die from the virus.
Eight-year department veteran Jason Swanger, 41, died last month. And Erik Lloyd, a popular lieutenant, died July 29, 2020. Metro said Lloyd was exposed to coronavirus in the line of duty.
