Sergeant Matt Gegner did not plan on a career in corrections when he graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Earth Sciences. But within a couple of months of working at the Whatcom County Jail, he knew it was where he wanted to be.
"Within a couple months at the jail, I knew that's where I wanted to work," Gegner said. Over the past dozen years, he has built a career within the Whatcom County Corrections Bureau, rising to sergeant and taking on one of the unit's most essential behind-the-scenes roles: running its training program.
From the Marine Corps Reserve to the Jail Training Room
Gegner recently retired after 20 years in the Marine Corps Reserve, where he was responsible for operations and training. That background proved directly transferable. At the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office Corrections Bureau, he creates content for and manages the training program that keeps deputies current on regulations, tools, and equipment. That includes defensive tactics, taser certification, and CPR -- the kinds of skills that matter when something goes wrong inside a jail.
Keeping up with the newest regulations in corrections is not a passive task. Washington State periodically updates standards for correctional facilities, and deputies must be formally qualified on a range of equipment. Gegner designs and delivers that curriculum while also performing his duties as a line supervisor within the facility.
The parallel between his military service and his corrections work is not lost on him. Both demanded discipline, both involved training others under pressure, and both required him to think about the human beings in front of him -- not just the rules governing their situation.
Finding Humanity in the Work
Gegner speaks openly about what keeps him motivated after more than a decade in a facility where the work can be emotionally taxing. He says corrections is necessary to protect society, but also for the sake of those who are incarcerated.
"That includes some people that just found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said. "Most of us are just one mistake or one choice away from being in jail. One of the things that keeps me working there is that I have the opportunity to work and talk with some people at the lowest point of their lives and hopefully make a difference, show them that's not the end of the road."
That perspective -- that a jail encounter can be a turning point rather than just a punishment -- reflects a broader philosophy increasingly discussed in corrections reform conversations across Washington State. The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office has been working to balance public safety with approaches that reduce repeat incarceration, and officers like Gegner who engage personally with incarcerated individuals are a part of that equation.
The Whatcom County Jail, located in Bellingham on East Bakerview Road, houses individuals who are pre-trial or serving sentences of under a year. The facility's corrections staff work long shifts in a controlled environment, and burnout is a known challenge across the profession. Gegner's dual role as trainer and sergeant gives him a way to contribute beyond individual interactions -- by shaping how dozens of other deputies approach their work.
Off the Clock: Disc Golf as a Gateway Sport
Away from the jail, Gegner is an advocate for a sport he describes as one of the most accessible in existence: disc golf. He plays on local courses in Whatcom County and recommends the game to anyone looking for low-cost outdoor recreation.
"I throw a frisbee, then I go find it. It's just walking with a purpose," he said, summarizing the sport with characteristic directness. He particularly values disc golf's low barrier to entry compared to ball golf and other sports.
"You can go out and play with just one frisbee, as opposed to ball sports such as golf, where there's a high equipment cost and you have to pay to play," he said. Disc golf courses are typically free to use and have proliferated across Whatcom County and the greater Bellingham area in recent years, making the sport genuinely accessible regardless of income or prior experience.
Whatcom County has several disc golf courses, including options in Bellingham parks. The sport has grown significantly in popularity across the Pacific Northwest over the past decade, with organized leagues and casual play both drawing participants of all ages.
A Career That Crosses Multiple Roles
Gegner's story illustrates the complexity of careers in public safety, where a single person may wear the hats of educator, supervisor, veteran, and community member simultaneously. His path from Earth Sciences at WWU to Marine Corps training officer to corrections sergeant is not a straight line -- but each step built skills he uses every day.
For residents of Whatcom County who interact with the criminal justice system only through news coverage, profiles like Gegner's offer a window into the people staffing the county's corrections facilities around the clock. The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office regularly shares these kinds of spotlights through its social media channels as part of an ongoing effort to build community understanding of the corrections profession.
