ABINGDON, Ill — The first annual Deputy Nick Weist Memorial Bags Tournament was held Sunday to honor the officer killed in the line of duty in April 2022. The 34-year-old was a husband and father of two.
"Unfortunately, Nick didn't get to serve that long," Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 427 President Donald “Ike” Hackett said as he began to choke up. "He was a good friend, he always brought something to the table on how to make things better."
Proceeds from the bags tournament were donated to the Deputy Nick Weist Scholarship Fund which supports high schoolers interested in law enforcement. The event was hosted by the Fraternal Order of Police and A-Town Baggers at Abingdon American Legion.
"He was a strong advocate for higher education for police officers, and we thought it would be appropriate to honor Nick with a long-term scholarship fund in his memory," Hackett said. "These men and women who died in the line of duty put it all on the line, and it's to remember them and remember their families in a way that is honorable."
National Police Week begins next Sunday, May 12. It's a week founded by President John F. Kennedy and recognizes law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
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