Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Slain Newport officer remembered
Friend says Weatherford’s death leaves ‘hole in community’
NEWPORT — The Arkansas flag hung at half-staff and police cars lined the main street of Arkansas State University-Newport’s campus Friday morning.
Apart from the low rumble of motorcycle engines and the hum of bagpipes, it was a quiet day as more than 1,000 people gathered to pay their last respects to Newport police Lt. Patrick Weatherford.
Weatherford, 41, was fatally shot Monday while responding to a vehicle breakin near Remmel Park. Police have charged an 18-year-old Newport man with capital murder in the death of the husband and father of two, who was born and raised in Newport and had spent 15 years on the police force.
“I’ve been in this line of work for almost four decades, and we’ve been through a lot here, but this is entirely way too much for us to endure,” said Pat McGee, a retired Newport lieutenant who spoke at the service.
McGee had worked with Weatherford on a case Monday, speaking with him about 4 p.m. and telling him that he’d call him later. McGee said his brother-in-law came in about 6 p.m. and told him that an officer had been shot downtown.
He soon learned it was his friend and fellow FBI National Academy graduate.
“Within the hour, we received the worst news we have ever had in this community,” McGee said.
Funeralgoers ranged from police officers from across the region to childhood neighbors. About 750 people filled the Center for the Arts auditorium and about 300 attendees watched a video stream from overflow rooms on the campus.
A Facebook livestream of the service provided by Jackson’s Funeral Home had more than 1,300 viewers and a steady flow of comments expressing prayers and thanks.
County Judge Jeff Phillips of Jackson County opened the service with a prayer and proclaimed June 12 as Patrick Neal Weatherford Day in the county.
Weatherford’s wife, daughter and son were seated on stage, and a row of Newport police officers stood behind the casket that was draped with an American flag.
Weatherford is the second Arkansas law enforcement officer to die in the line of duty this year. Yell County sheriff’s deputy Lt. Kevin Mainhart, 46, was shot and killed May 11 during a traffic stop on Arkansas 27 west of Dardanelle.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson expressed gratitude on behalf of the state during his remarks at the service.
“His life reflects the ideals of who we should be as a nation,” Hutchinson said. “He was a patriot.”
Hutchinson also noted the courage of the police officers who responded Wednesday to a shooting at a baseball field in Alexandria, Va., where congressional Republicans were practicing for their annual charity game against congressional Democrats.
Hutchinson said this was a time to support the men and women in blue.
“Here in Newport, you see Patrick going into danger to serve and protect and do his duty, and he paid the sacrifice for doing that,” Hutchinson said.
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge also attended Friday’s service and recalled Weatherford’s humble nature and appreciation when she presented him with the 2016 Jackson County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award.
“A real gentleman, as most of our officers are,” she said.
Rutledge, who grew up in nearby Batesville, pointed to the number of people who attended Friday’s service as an example of the love small towns have for their police officers.
“I think it speaks volumes to how much of a loss his tragic death is,” Rutledge said.
Robert Summers, dean of applied science at ASU-Newport, said he got to know Weatherford from the officer’s pursuit to better himself educationally. Summers said Weatherford told him he had started college but realized he wasn’t ready, watched his grades fall and eventually dropped out after a few semesters.
Summers said he talked to Weatherford about transferring some of his credits and finishing his associate degree at ASU-Newport. He wasn’t sure if Weatherford would follow through, but two weeks later Summers heard a knock on his door.
“Patrick was standing there with a big, goofy grin on his face,” Summers recalled. “He understood that if you improved yourself, you improved everything around you.”
Weatherford finished his associate degree and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and a master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Summers said similar values made them friends, especially their love for family. He said he was certain Weatherford’s happiness came from serving.
“There’s a giant hole in this community,” he said.
Like many others who knew Weatherford, Summers said he would remember the lieutenant’s infectious smile the most. He compared it to that of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland.
“The cat would disappear and all you’d have was this big, quivering grin,” Summers said. “The smile took over the room, and I think that’s what I’ll miss most about him.”
The service concluded with a traditional “last call,” where an officer holds up a communications radio and lets everyone hear the deceased officer’s name and number crackle over the static of the radio for the last time.