The Arkansas State Police is a state police division of the Arkansas Department of Public Safety and is responsible for enforcing motor vehicle laws, traffic laws, and criminal laws. The Arkansas State Police serves as an assisting agency to local law enforcement agencies within the State of Arkansas and has statewide authority to conduct law enforcement activities, criminal investigations, and crimes against children investigations.Arkansas Code Annotated § 12-8-106
History The Arkansas State Police was created on 19 March 1935 through Act 120 of 1935, which was passed by the Arkansas General Assembly and signed into law by the 30th Governor of Arkansas J.M. Futrell. Upon the creation of the Arkansas State Police in 1935, the agency consisted of approximately thirteen Rangers who were charged with enforcing liquor laws and traffic laws. From its creation in 1935, the Arkansas State Police has been an assisting agency to local law enforcement agencies.Arkansas State Police Website
State Police Commission The Arkansas State Police Commission is made up of seven members, appointed by the Governor of Arkansas with the advice and consent of the Arkansas Senate for seven year terms. The commission is responsible for the overall control of the Arkansas State Police.
Current Commissioners:Arkansas State Police Commissioners
Chairman: Jim Hinkle of Conway, Arkansas Vice-chair: Ken Reeves of Harrison, Arkansas Secretary: Neff Basore of Bella Vista, Arkansas Member: Mike Akin of Monticello, Arkansas Member: Steve Edwards of Marianna, Arkansas Member: Jeffery Teague of Fayetteville, Arkansas Member: John Allison of Conway, Arkansas
Organization Arkansas Governor - Sarah Huckabee Sanders Arkansas Department of Public Safety Secretary - Mike Hagar Arkansas State Police Director - Colonel Mike Hagar Deputy Director - Lieutenant Colonel Mike Kennedy - Administrative Services Deputy Director - Lieutenant Colonel Jason Aaron - Field Operations
Administrative Services - Major Roby Rhoads The Administrative Services consists of two of the Division's largest sections, recruiting and training, in addition, Human Resources services for the more than 900 State Police employees. The Arkansas State Police Recruiting Office collects the initial contact forms of all potential recruits and prepares the next generation of State Police Recruits who may enter the department's Training Academy. The training officers assigned to the division develop and teach both curriculum for new recruits as well as in-service training for incumbent Troopers. Arkansas State Police Personnel Employment Office of Personnel Management Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Highway Patrol
The Highway Patrol Division is the uniformed division of the Arkansas State Police. It is headquartered at One State Police Plaza Drive, Little Rock, Arkansas. + Arkansas State Police - Highway PatrolTroopStationCounties CoveredTroop A Little Rock, Arkansas Faulkner, Lonoke, Pulaski and SalineTroop B Newport, Arkansas Cleburne, Independence, Jackson, Lawrence, Sharp, and WhiteTroop CJonesboro, ArkansasClay, Craighead, Greene, Mississippi, Poinsett, and RandolphTroop DForrest City, ArkansasCrittenden, Cross, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, Prairie, St. Francis, and WoodruffTroop EPine Bluff, ArkansasArkansas, Desha, Jefferson, and LincolnTroop FWarren, ArkansasAshley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Cleveland, Dallas, Drew, Ouachita, and UnionTroop GHope, ArkansasColumbia, Hempstead, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, and SevierTroop HFort Smith, ArkansasCrawford, Franklin, Logan, Scott, and SebastianTroop IHarrison, ArkansasBaxter, Boone, Fulton, Izard, Marion, Newton, Searcy, and StoneTroop JClarksville, ArkansasConway, Johnson, Perry, Pope, Van Buren, and YellTroop KHot Springs, ArkansasClark, Garland, Grant, Hot Spring, Montgomery, Pike, and PolkTroop LLowell, ArkansasBenton, Carroll, Madison, and Washington
Criminal Investigations Criminal Investigations - Major Stacie Rhoads - Commander Special Agents assigned to Criminal Investigations, investigate criminal cases initiated by both the Arkansas State Police and local law enforcement agencies.
+ Arkansas State Police - Criminal InvestigationsCompanyStationCounties CoveredCompany ALittle Rock, ArkansasCrittenden, Cross, Faulkner, Lee, Lonoke, Monroe, Phillips, Prairie, Pulaski, Saline, St. Francis, and WoodruffCompany BPine Bluff, ArkansasArkansas, Ashely, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Cleveland, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Jefferson, and LincolnCompany CHope, ArkansasClark, Columbia, Garland, Grant, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Montgomery, Nevada, Pike, Polk, and SevierCompany DFort Smith, ArkansasBenton, Carroll, Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Madison, Scott, Sebastian, and WashingtonCompany EHarrison, ArkansasBaxter, Boone, Conway, Fulton, Izard, Johnson, Marion, Newton, Perry, Pope, Searcy, Stone, Van Buren, and YellCompany FJonesboro, ArkansasCraighead, Greene, Independence, Jackson, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, Randolph, Sharp, and White
Crimes Against Children Crimes Against Children - Major Jeffrey Drew - Commander Crimes Against Children - Kalika Rogers - Investigations Administrator Crimes Against Children - Dan Mack - Hotline Administrator Investigators assigned to the Crimes Against Children, investigate child maltreatment and criminal cases involving juveniles along with local law enforcement agencies.
+ Arkansas State Police - Crimes Against ChildrenAreaStationCounties CoveredArea ILowell, ArkansasBenton, Boone, and CarrollArea IISpringdale, ArkansasWashington, Madison, and NewtonArea IIIMountain View, ArkansasBaxter, Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Marion, Randolph, Searcy, Sharp, and StoneArea IVParagould, ArkansasClay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Greene, Mississippi, and PoinsettArea VFort Smith, ArkansasCrawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Pope, Sebastian, and YellArea VIClinton, ArkansasConway, Faulkner, Garland, Perry, Saline, and Van BurenArea VIISearcy, ArkansasLee, Lonoke, Monroe, Phillips, Prairie, St. Francis, White, and WoodruffArea VIIILittle Rock, ArkansasPulaski CountyArea IXDeQueen, ArkansasClark, Columbia, Grant, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Montgomery, Nevada, Pike, Polk, Scott, and SevierArea XStuttgart, ArkansasArkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Cleveland, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Grant, Jefferson, Lincoln, Ouachita, and Union
Rank structure TitleInsigniaDescription Director (Colonel) Director holds the Rank of Colonel, appointed by the Governor of Arkansas to be the professional head of the Department Deputy Director (Lieutenant Colonel) Deputy Director holds the Rank of Lieutenant Colonel, second-in-command of department and second highest ranked commissioned officer in the department. Major A Major is responsible for serving as a Highway Patrol Regional Commander, as the Criminal Investigations Commander, as the Crimes Against Children Commander, or as the Administrative Services Division Commander of the Highway Patrol Captain A Captain is responsible for serving as a Highway Patrol Troop Commander, Criminal Investigation Division Regional Commander or other upper-level administrative and managerial staff position. Lieutenant A Lieutenant is responsible for serving as a Highway Patrol Troop Assistant Commander, Criminal Investigation Division Company Commander or supervising a specialized function with the State Police Sergeant A Sergeant holds First supervisory rank, responsible for overseeing and supervising Troopers and non-commissioned personnel in the performance of their duties Corporal Rank attained by Trooper First Class after completion of 7 years of service. May supervise Troopers in the performance of their duties in absence of a sergeant. Trooper First Class Rank attained by Trooper after completion of years of service. Trooper Rank attained by Recruits upon successful completion of the training academy, responsible for field law enforcement patrol or specialized or technical law enforcement function.Cadet A Cadet is a new recruit, and is the rank held by all personnel while assigned as a student at the training academy. These personnel do not wear rank insignia.
Incidents In 1992, state troopers executed a search warrant without knocking and announcing themselves. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the action violated the Fourth Amendment in Wilson v. Arkansas.Oyez article about the case In 1993, several state troopers claimed that they assisted then Governor Bill Clinton to cover extramarital affairs in what became known as "Troopergate"."Troopers Say Clinton Sought Silence on Personal Affairs", Los Angeles Times, December 21, 1993. No official state inquiry was performed. On March 7, 2006, trooper Larry P. Norman fatally shot Joseph Erin Hamley, an unarmed man with cerebral palsy as he lay on his back. On June 28, 2007, Norman pleaded guilty to negligent homicide based on the dashcam footage and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, 30 days of community service, one year of probation, and a $1,000 fine. Norman served 54 days of his jail sentence. The Arkansas State Police settled a lawsuit on March 5, 2007, with the victim's family for one million dollars. In July 2020, Senior Cpl. Rodney Dunn performed a PIT maneuver against a pregnant woman during a traffic stop. Shortly thereafter, the woman filed a lawsuit against the department, claiming that she was in the process of pulling over, and that the actions of Dunn were reckless and nearly killed her and her unborn child. The Arkansas State Police has defended the trooper's actions and argue neither he nor the department bear any responsibility for the incident. The Arkansas State Police and the woman have settled the lawsuit in November 2021.
In popular culture The third season of HBO's True Detective depicted Mahershala Ali and Stephen Dorff as Arkansas State Police detectives. In the 1973 film White Lightning starring Burt Reynolds, the Arkansas State Police are seen pursuing Reynolds bootlegging character, Gator McKlusky.
Notables Wayne Hays (fictional) Tommy F. Robinson Dwight Tosh
See also List of law enforcement agencies in Arkansas Police misconduct in the United States
References
External links