Cathedral City Police Officer Remembered For Duty, Family

Hundreds of police officers, sheriff’s deputies and California Highway Patrol officers paid their respects to Cathedral City police officer Jermaine Gibson on Friday.

Gibson died one week ago when his patrol car lost control on South Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs and crashed into a tree while pursuing a stolen car with two people inside.

Dexter Coleman, 46, of Cathedral City, and Durjan Germaine Gray, 34, of the Coachella Valley, were both injured when their car crashed into another palm tree just north of Gibson. Gray was taken into custody Wednesday evening, and Coleman was hospitalized at Riverside County General Medical Center in Moreno Valley with critical injuries.

Services at Southwest Community Church in Indian Wells, Calif., followed a procession of law enforcement on Interstate 10 that escorted Gibson’s casket from Cathedral City.

Inside, News Channel 3’s Jason Sloss said officers and family shared their stories about a man they said was born to be a police officer and died doing what he wanted to do.

“Officers from all over California were openly sobbing as they came in,” he said. “It was too much for them to bear.”

Gibson’s uncle was one of the family members asked to speak during the service. He expressed the pain of losing of his nephew as he played the trumpet and sang, his voice cracking at times, Sloss said.

Other members of Gibson’s family told stories about how he loved to cook and raved about his expertise at at barbecuing.

“There was a slideshow of pictures taken throughout his life, ending with the birth of his baby boy, who was born just 4 weeks ago,” he said. “It was very emotional.”

City leaders came to pay their respects, as well as California Attorney General Kamala Harris and U.S. Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Palm Springs.

“I hold a special place in my heart for those who risk their lives to protect ours, and Officer Gibson served courageously on our behalf both as a U.S. Marine and an officer for the people of Cathedral City,” said Bono Mack.

As a Marine, Gibson was awarded the purple heart.

He met his wife while they worked at the Rialto Police Department.

Dozens lined up outside the church to pay their respects as the hearse carrying Gibson passed by.

“The valley cares about them,” said Jonathan Grove, a former firefighter. “We’ve lost somebody that was doing his job.”

As an American flag flew between two fire engines outside of the church, proud and somber neighbors took photos as the long line of law enforcement officers drove by.

“When I found out that he was a veteran, that he was in the Iraq war, and had a Purple Heart, this morning, I thought I’d give some respect,” said Roeland Kloos, a Vietnam veteran, who is originally from Holland.

“I see a lot of people out here, and, you know, it’s nice to know that the community does care,” said Karla Diaz, who has a friend in the Palm Springs Fire Department.

The Santa Ana, South Pasadena, Rialto, Escondido, Fresno, Fontana, Palm Springs, Indio and Cathedral City police departments were among the agencies seen traveling down Washington Street with the motorcade onto I-10.

A U.S. Marine flag was held above the overpass in Palm Desert.

Firefighters and police officers were seen in Beaumont and Banning near Gibson’s home, saluting the fallen hero as he was carried to his final resting place in Riverside.

“I’m looking out my rear view mirror right now, and I can’t see the end of it,” said one viewer, who called to ask about line of police cars.

“They’re out there everyday keeping us safe, and sometimes they make that ultimate sacrifice, and I think that we owe them something in return for that,” said Sandra Wallace, an Indio resident.

“The unity that you see here, you just feel it,” said Victoria Romero, whose fiancee is a police officer. “(It) is a feeling that’s obviously very hard to describe, but you could tell there’s a lot of unity here within the law enforcement family and that’s a great feeling.”

The Cathedral City Police Officers Association established the Jermaine Gibson Memorial Fund to help his family.

Donations can be mailed to Box 1131, Cathedral City, CA 92235, or dropped off at the Cathedral City Police Department headquarters at City Hall.