Distinguished Fayetteville police sergeant laid to rest

Fayetteville, N.C. — A 25-year veteran of the Fayetteville Police Department who died Tuesday was laid to rest Saturday.

The funeral service for Sgt. Robert "Bob" Weathers, 74, was held at in Capel Arena at Fayetteville State University. He was then buried with a full military salute at the Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery in Spring Lake.

"He will be remembered as a kind and humble man who touched many lives during his career," Lt. David Sportsman said in a release. "His loyalty to the (Fayetteville Police Department), citizens of this community, love for law enforcement and service to this country will never be forgotten."

After retiring from the U.S. Army as a command sergeant major, Weathers joined the Fayetteville police force at the age of 49 in 1982. He became "the face, voice and driving force of law enforcement training withing the department," Sportsman said.

As a training sergeant, Weathers recruited, selected and trained new officers, coordinating the Basic Law Enforcement Training Academy and the Citizens Police Academy. Officers from across the state attended his classes.

"He is ... the person who officers from all agencies most remember from their early days in the profession," Sportsman said. "He never said 'no' when asked to help with any task necessary to support the mission of training."

Weathers also left an impression on the public, colleagues said.

"Visitors to the Police Training Center were always about to count on Sgt. Weathers for a kind greeting and a pleasant word, no matter how busy he may have been," Sportsman said.

Weathers was selected as the department's Police Officer of the Year in 2006 and retired the following year. In his retirement, he continued to serve, acting as a reserve officer for the police training center.

"Sgt. Weathers met every challenge with a 'can-do' attitude that was contagious. He made everyone around him believe that anything was possible," Sportsman said.