Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Matt Gibbs died as a result of contracting COVID-19 while serving at the Superior Court North County Division at 325 S Melrose Drive in Vista.
Deputy Gibbs had served with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department for over two years and had previously served 30 years with the California Highway Patrol. Deputy Gibbs' wife and her twin retired as the only female twins on the California Highway Patrol. His brother-in-law still serves with the California Highway Patrol, and another sister-in-law works at the San Francisco Police Department.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Deputy Sheriff Matthew S. Gibbs died on August 21, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 55.
He is one of 884 officers honored here.
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 wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-71B74565- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Deputy Sheriff Gibbs gave the San Diego County Sheriff's Department 32 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Diego community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Gibbs.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Matthew S. Gibbs is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In CA, 75 of 1,837 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 4.1% of this state's fallen. That is 5 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At San Diego County Sheriff's Department, 2 of 11 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 18.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Matthew S. Gibbs's cause is highlighted.
How Matthew S. Gibbs Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Matthew S. Gibbs is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
10 officers from San Diego County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.
