As Waterloo, State Police prepare for trooper’s funeral, volunteers, donations sought

As the city of Waterloo and Illinois State Police prepare for Trooper Nicholas Hopkins’ visitation and funeral services over the weekend, opportunities to volunteer and donate are being shared across the metro-east.

Hopkins, 33, died Aug. 23, hours after he was shot on duty.

There had been an exchange of gunfire while Hopkins and other State Police SWAT team members tried to serve a “high risk” search warrant that day in East St. Louis, according to Illinois State Police Acting Director Brendan Kelly.

The visitation and funeral will be on Saturday and Sunday, according to Illinois State Police.

Here’s more information about the weekend services and how you can help by donating food or your time:

When services will be

The visitation is scheduled for 3-9 p.m. Saturday at Waterloo High School, 505 East Bulldog Blvd., where Hopkins graduated in the class of 2004. The funeral will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday at the high school.

The Hopkins family requested that an armored SWAT vehicle be involved in the funeral service, according to the State Police SWAT team. The day after their request, the SWAT team said the armored vehicle that will be in the service was given a personalized decal: Hopkins’ trooper number, 6141.

The Illinois State Police troopers who are planning the visitation and funeral said Thursday that additional details about the services, including the procession route, would be released later.

Where to donate

Donated food for the funeral is being accepted in Waterloo and in Collinsville until 5 p.m. Friday.

You can drop off store-bought desserts and snacks at the visitor’s entrance of the Illinois State Police District 11 Headquarters, 1100 Eastport Plaza Drive in Collinsville, or at the Hopkins family’s church Life Community Church, 626 W. Bottom Ave. in Columbia, according to the Trooper Kyle Deatherage Memorial.

Deatherage, 32, of Highland, was stuck and killed in 2012 while conducting a traffic stop for Illinois State Police on Interstate 55 near Litchfield. A nonprofit was set up in his name to provide monetary assistance to the families of first responders who are killed or injured in the line of duty. It is helping arrange food donations for Hopkins’ funeral, according to Illinois State Police.

How to volunteer

On Saturday, volunteers are needed to set up flags along the funeral procession route, according to Chip Shaffer, of Hope for Heroes, a local group that was formed to offer support to military families.

Hope for Heroes is asking for the help to place about 1,000 flags starting at 10 a.m. Saturday. If you’re interested, meet near 301 E. First St. in Waterloo. The flags are 3 feet by 5 feet on 12-foot poles. The group suggests that volunteers bring sturdy shoes and gloves.

This story was originally published August 29, 2019 at 4:26 PM.