Community attends visitation for Piggott officer

CLAY COUNTY, Ark. (KAIT) - A Piggott police officer who died unexpectedly will be laid to rest later this week.

Officer Cody Dale Carter died July 16 in what Clay County Sheriff Terry Miller called a “tragic incident.” He did not elaborate.

“First day I met him he was just a character. He cut up from the very beginning. You couldn’t find a serious note in him that day until it came down to work,” said Miller.

According to his obituary, Carter worked at the county jail for 10 years prior to joining the Piggott Police Department where he worked as an officer and an agent with the Second Judicial Drug Task Force.

Visitation was held from 5 until 8 p.m. Thursday, July 21, at the First General Baptist Church of Rector.

Family, community members, and law enforcement officers paid their respects during the visitation.

A memorial was set up in Piggott but was moved to Rector during the visitation.

Rector is Carter’s hometown. A sign that said, “Remember your Hometown Hero” stood tall beside his patrol car.

“He went above and beyond to take care of the citizens of Piggot. The citizens of Piggott loved Officer Carter and Officer Carter loved Piggott,” said Piggott Police Chief, Jeremi Wicker.

Miller and Wicker both said Carter was a jokester and always knew how to make someone’s day. They also said he was always just a phone call away when needed.

“If you needed him and you called him. He was there until the very end,” said Miller.

His funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, July 22, at the church with Bro. Ken Price is officiating. Irby Funeral Home of Rector is in charge of the arrangements.

Piggott city offices will be closed Friday, July 22 from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. to allow employees to attend the funeral and say their last goodbyes.

A wife and three children survive Carter.

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