Community outpouring expected for Officer Patrick's funeral

After Mendota Heights Police Officer Scott Patrick was shot and killed last week, there was a dramatic and spontaneous outpouring of grief and support in the community. On Wednesday, the grieving will take a more formal turn.

Thousands of people, including law enforcement officials, civic leaders and citizens, are expected to attend or watch the funeral and burial of Patrick, who was the most senior officer on the force in Mendota Heights -- and the first to lose his life in the line of duty.

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A visitation took place on Tuesday from 2 to 8 p.m. at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in West St. Paul. The funeral begins at the church on Wednesday at 11 a.m.

From St. Stephens, a procession will travel north on Charlton Street, west on Butler Avenue, south on Dodd Road, west on Mendota Heights Road to Lemay Road and into Acacia Park Cemetery in St. Paul for the burial.

The procession will take place in two waves. The first will include hundreds of law enforcement and other public safety agencies. The second will follow approximately 20 to 30 minutes later. It will include Mendota Heights law enforcement officers, city staff, Patrick's family and Patrick.

Before the service at the cemetery, a bell will ring 272 times, once for each Minnesota officer killed in the line of duty. Later, it will ring 22 times, once for each year of service by Patrick. Two State Patrol helicopters will perform a low-level fly-over during the burial service.

Gov. Mark Dayton has ordered U.S. and Minnesota flags at half-staff in honor of Patrick.

The governor's order applies to all state and federal buildings in Minnesota from sunrise to sunset Wednesday.

Law enforcement officials are asking the public to line the nearly 8-mile-long funeral procession route

• Map: Officer Patrick's funeral and burial procession route: