ASU criminal justice department to be named after UA Little Rock alum Patrick Weatherford
Arkansas State University-Newport will name its criminal justice department for Lt. Patrick Weatherford, a Newport police officer who was killed in the line of duty while at a traffic stop with another officer on June 12.
The Arkansas State University System Board of Trustees approved the resolution to name the department the “Lieutenant Patrick Weatherford Criminal Justice Center” on Sept. 15.
Weatherford graduated from UA Little Rock with a master’s degree in criminal justice in May. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the university in 2015.
He was a 15-year veteran of the Newport police force. Weatherford was awarded the Jackson County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award in 2016. His skills, courage, and inner strength enabled him to be one of three Newport law enforcement officers to graduate from the FBI National Academy Program.