‘405, you are clear to go home.’

Olney Police Cpl. Miranda Wright was lauded as a fearless and dedicated public servant who lent the community her infectious zest for life at an emotional funeral on Aug. 7 that packed the First Baptist Church of Olney with civilian mourners and law enforcement colleagues.

Cpl. Wright, a K9 officer who patrolled Olney’s streets on the overnight watch, died on Saturday, Aug. 3 at a Wichita Falls hospital at age 47, about two months after she was diagnosed with cancer. She came home to Olney’s Main Street that evening in a long cortege of law enforcement, fire, and emergency services vehicles with lights silently flashing.

An even longer procession accompanied her to the cemetery in Littlefield Texas - north of her birthplace in Lubbock - where she was laid to rest beside her mother. As the procession passed, a line of K9 officers from across North Texas and their dogs stood at attention along Main Street outside the church.

At her funeral, an honor guard from the Wichita County Sheriff ’s Office stood watch over Cpl. Wright’s flag-draped casket as mourners and uniformed law enforcement officers filed in from Young, Archer, Clay, Dallas, Wichita, Jack, Taylor, Baylor, Haskill, Denton, Montague, and Lubbock counties, and from the cities of Graham, Archer City, Abilene, Seymour, Sanger, Wichita Falls, Jacksboro, Alvord, and Bridgeport.

Her K9 partner, Bond, also attended the service briefly, standing before the casket with K9 Officer Hailey Calcote of the Graham Police Department, a close friend of Cpl. Wright.

Rev. Gary Elrod, a police chaplain who serves multiple county agencies, opened the service with a trip back to 1977, the birth year of quarterback Tom Brady, entertainer Kanye West, and country singer Jason Aldean who – despite their fame – were less relevant to this community than Cpl. Wright, who was born March 25, 1977 and served 15 years as an Olney Police officer and five as a Young County sheriff ’s deputy.

She enlisted in the U.S. Army after graduating from high school in Lubbock in 1997, and worked briefly in the police departments in Lubbock and Erath before finding her home in Olney, he said.

She was hardworking and passionate about law enforcement, obtaining a master’s degree in criminal justice and studying forensic photography while patrolling at night with K9 Bond. She spent her free time with her partner, retired U.S. Marine Dustin Heard, her daughters Christine and Chandra, and her dog handler friends who called themselves, the K9 Kult.

Olney Police Chief Dan Birbeck delivered the eulogy, describing Cpl. Wright’s boundless energy, her enjoyment in working with K9 Bond and her previous K9 partners, as well as her knack for wrecking her police vehicles in the most unusual ways. “She was my squirrel … full of life and enthusiasm. Her zest for life was infectious and it brought a unique charm to our community.”

Her fearlessness was legendary; once, when on a domestic violence call alone, she tried using her Tazer to subdue a man who was attacking his wife, Chief Birbeck said.

The Tazer failed, and the suspect carried her bodily out of the house and dropped her outside on the front porch, and returned to abusing his spouse. When backup arrived, “she went right back into the pile” of officers trying to subdue the man, Chief Birbeck said.

“She was fearless, relentless, and courageous,” he said.

She did not like smiling for photographs but in her most recent official photograph, she smiled for the camera as Chief Birbeck clowned in the background, he said. He has placed the photo in the current Olney Police Department lobby “so I can see her smiling face every time I come to work,” he said through tears.

“Miranda, you will be dearly missed,” he said. “For such little feet, I have big shoes to fill.”

He addressed fellow OPD officers, saying the department “will have to find a new normal.”

“Let us strive to make her proud,” he said.

Melanie Berry, area representative for Texas Sen. Drew Springer, delivered a proclamation recognizing Cpl. Wright’s years of service and thanking her family. A bagpiper played “Taps” and the honor guard folded the flag and Chief Birbeck delivered it to Cpl.

Wright’s daughters.

The service concluded with an “end of watch” radio call for Cpl. Wright, whose badge number was 405.

“Corporal Wright, you have answered your final call. Though you are no longer with us, your spirit and dedication will forever remain in our hearts. We are grateful for your service and sacrifice. End of watch, August 3rd, 2024. 405, you are clear to go home. Rest in peace, Corporal Miranda Wright. We have the watch from here.”

Olney Police Chief Dan Birbeck gives the American flag that draped Cpl. Miranda Wright’s casket to her daughters, Christine and Chandra at her Aug. 7 funeral at First Baptist Church of Olney.

Photo by Gina Keating

Graham Police Officer Hailey Calcote and K9 Bond, partner of Olney Police Cpl. Miranda Wright, pay their respects during the Aug. 6 visitation at Lunns Funeral Home. Photo provided by Katie Carls