Wilfred Matthews

Yonkers Police Department — Yonkers, NY

Accident

End of Watch October 29, 1916

Age 40

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 31 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 19

Incident

Police Officer Matthews accidentally shot himself while examining his Colt revolver. After looking the weapon over he was putting it back in his pocket when it discharged and he was struck in the leg. Officer Matthews died of infection twelve days later.

Survivors

Officer Matthews had been with the agency for three years and was survived by his wife and child.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NY-2F5923E7
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Matthews gave the Yonkers Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Yonkers community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Matthews.

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

Agency

Department Yonkers Police Department

Location Yonkers, NY

Platform Identity ypd.westchester.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 29, 1916

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 40

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Police Officer Wilfred Matthews is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.

At Yonkers Police Department, 11 of 20 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 55% of this agency's fallen.

Yonkers Police Department

of 20 officers

55% Accident

NY — Statewide

645

of 2,147 officers

30% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident