Documentary Honors Patrolman

Patrolman John Hussey

End of Watch: Dec. 21, 1975

What began as a massive pile of unorganized files and a looming deadline transformed into a powerful bridge across generations when Springdale Public Schools students partnered with the Springdale Police Department to honor the 50th anniversary of Patrolman John Hussey’s end of watch.

Patrolman Hussey was killed in the line of duty on Dec. 21, 1975, when he was just 22 years old. Decades have passed, yet his presence remains foundational to the SPD.

"He embodies the spirit of the department, but also what we model our culture after," said Springdale Police Chief Derek Wright. "What that means is the service to the community, the dedication, but also just a willingness to sacrifice to keep our community safe."

Wright emphasizes that Hussey gave the ultimate sacrifice.

"That’s something we have the honor of remembering every year at a memorial ceremony, and it really means something to the officers that come in that we remember him and recognize him," he said.

The department wanted to do something different to commemorate the milestone anniversary of Hussey’s end of watch and chose to partner with Springdale Schools to tell the story.

"The school district has been great, letting us tell our story," Wright said. "It gives students that were able to help with the project an inside view of what goes on in a police department, the history of the police department, the history of Springdale."

The massive undertaking of the documentary required a true community effort, starting with the preservation of history.

Bayleigh Jones, a teacher at the Don Tyson School of Innovation and former EAST facilitator at Springdale High, helped bridge the gap between law enforcement and the classroom.

"Everything that we did, we worked with the police department," Jones said.

The historical deep-dive began when a former Springdale police officer loaned Springdale High School students his briefcase for a few days. Inside were original, decades-old FBI files surrounding the case, which the students meticulously scanned converting raw, dusty history into a digital archive the creative team could actually use.

From there, the project landed in the lap of Craig Pasquinzo, a DTSOI audio/video technology teacher for grades 8-12. While his students typically work on shorter entertainment or news pieces, Pasquinzo saw an opportunity for something deeper when he was provided with 10-12 interviews recorded by the Springdale Schools Communications Office.

"I come from a documentary background, and so I like longer-format storytelling," Pasquinzo said. "When the kids get into an advanced class, I always challenge at least one of them sometimes try to create a documentary."

Pasquinzo said he noticed something remarkable happening in the editing room as the editing process progressed, noting the late officer's memory seemed to guide the project.

"I do attribute some of that to the energy of Officer Hussey and the magnetism that he had with the people that he worked with and the lives that he affected," he said. "There were moments whenever we were creating this film that I really, truly do believe that Mr. Hussey had a hand in this. I mean it. There were moments that were really special and unique that were almost like an unconscious."

The biggest enemy for the students editing the documentary wasn't the complexity of the story, it was the clock.

"We had only, like, a month and a half to do it. I think it was really stressful," said DTSOI senior Addison Huggins. "I don’t think I've ever edited something like that before."

Fellow senior Kevin Carias agreed, describing the initial phase as a whirlwind.

"It was a little crazy at first," he said. "We just had to put everything together, and it was a little chaotic."

Jacob Moffitt, another DTSOI senior, stepped up as one of the project's primary editors.

"I had never worked on a documentary before, and I just kind of figured it out as I went along," Moffitt said. "That was not an easy task, but we managed to pull it off.”

When the final cut was delivered for the screening, the chaos of the editing room faded into the background. Wright said seeing the final product was profound.

"It's surreal to see those reactions and to hear those stories of how they handle that day and even how it affects them today," he said.

For the student creators standing in the back of the theater, the true reward was the raw emotion of the audience.

"What I found rewarding was seeing everybody in that room," said DTSOI senior Irvin De La Cruz. "I was still shaking nervous, and I look around and people are crying. The story that we created was very impactful, and it really meant a lot to those people in that room."

Moffitt said he felt that same weight lift from his shoulders.

"I’m just genuinely so glad that we were able to create this documentary for them, for them to remember the story and just how devastating it was on the community,” he said. “I think the emotional impact that it had on everybody was very powerful, and I'm glad I was able to participate."

Carias said viewers had a collective focus at the 50th anniversary screening.

"It was definitely crazy to see everybody in that room. Everybody was so focused on the screen,” he said. “It was just a sort of emotional moment for everybody, and it's just crazy that I got to experience a moment like that."

The documentary succeeded in honoring a fallen hero, but it also left a permanent mark on the young filmmakers who brought it to life. They learned that storytelling isn't just about technical skill, it's about responsibility, empathy and vision.

Pasquinzo said he hopes the experience will stay with the students forever.

"It was the recipe that we put together in the quiet moments at the time that nobody was looking at us and we had a vision, and you're able to take that vision and show it to the rest of the world," Pasquinzo said. "That, to me, is what I hope the students will always strive to do in their life, no matter what they're doing."

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