Mathew Aaron Hefter
Agency patch
Police Officer

Mathew Aaron Hefter

Phoenix Police Department — Phoenix, AZ
COVID-19 → Illness
End of Watch August 7, 2021
Age 50
Tour of Duty 24 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Matt Hefter died as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Officer Hefter had served with the Phoenix Police Department for over 24 years.

COVID-19 and Law Enforcement

Police Officer Mathew Aaron Hefter died on August 7, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 50.

He is one of 885 officers honored here, and one of 3 at Phoenix Police Department.

Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.

Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.

Survivors

He is survived by his son, sister, aunts, nieces, and nephews.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at requiem.nw. One record, 2 gates. Mathew is one person.

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Tributes

The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Police Officer Hefter gave the Phoenix Police Department 24 years.
Thank you for your service to the Phoenix community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Hefter.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Other
Location Phoenix, Maricopa County, AZ
Platform Identity phoepd.maricopa.az.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 7, 2021
Tour of Duty 24 yrs
Age 50
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness
Cause Detail COVID19

The Sacrifice · Illness

Mathew is one of 2,028 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 2021, 564 officers in the United States were lost to illness, more than in any other year.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Mathew was 50. Of the 1,996 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51. Mathew had served 24 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

August holds 10.2% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 14.9%. Saturdays: 13.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Phoenix Police Department has 47 officers remembered here, Mathew among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Mathew Aaron Hefter

Phoenix Police Department · End of Watch August 7, 2021

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 44-W

Also Remembered

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial — requiem.nw →

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