Derek E. Sidwell
Agency patch
Detective Sergeant

Derek E. Sidwell

Overton County Sheriff's Office — Livingston, TN
Illness
End of Watch September 3, 2021
Age 42
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
The Vigil Panel 177 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Sergeant Derek Sidwell died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Sergeant Sidwell served with the Overton County Sheriff's Office for 14 years.

COVID-19 and Law Enforcement

Detective Sergeant Derek E. Sidwell died on September 3, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 42.

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 two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-D3844D13
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.
Detective Sergeant Sidwell gave the Overton County Sheriff's Office 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the Livingston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Sergeant Sidwell.

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

Agency

Location Livingston, TN
Platform Identity ocso.overton.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 3, 2021
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
Age 42
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness
Cause Detail COVID19

Detective Sergeant Derek E. Sidwell 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 TN, 43 of 769 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 5.6% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.

At Overton County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 3 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Overton County Sheriff's Office
1
of 3 officers
33.3% Illness
TN — Statewide
43
of 769 officers
5.6% Illness
Nationwide
2,974
of 32,508 officers
9.1% Illness

National Cause Distribution

How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Derek E. Sidwell's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Derek E. Sidwell Compares

Age at End of Watch
42
This officer
Avg for Illness: 47.8 years
Years of Service
14
This officer
Avg for Illness: 18.9 years

When Illness Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Derek E. Sidwell is highlighted in Sep.

Jan
294
Feb
198
Mar
185
Apr
226
May
201
Jun
181
Jul
217
Aug
281
Sep
291
Oct
376
Nov
239
Dec
285

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

2 officers from Overton County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.