Photo: Members of the new leadership team at the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office are (from left) Lieutenant Jake Smith, Sheriff Al Roork, Chief Deputy Joe Boshears and Investigator Dale Weaver. Lauren Siebert/Areawide Media.
New leadership is in place at the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office following the resignation of several officers, according to Areawide Media.
Fulton County Sheriff Al Roork says several deputies resigned in mid-March. Despite the departures, Roork decided to not only promote from within his department, but to recruit proven and dedicated leadership to the team.
“In March, our chief deputy at the time resigned and that was followed by a series of resignations. I was fortunate enough to have Joe Boshears, who was serving as the deputy commander of the drug task force come and join us,” Roork says. “He is our chief deputy now.”
Boshears began his career in law enforcement in 2009 as a part-time officer, before transitioning to full time in 2010. Working as an agent and later as a deputy commander of the drug task force, Boshears says he has had the opportunity to work with local, state and federal agencies.
Additionally, Roork says he contacted Dale Weaver, who has decades of experience in law enforcement and has served in nearly all capacities of law enforcement.
“It was like, ‘Wow. Dale Weaver is coming over.’ These are two individuals everybody knows and trusts in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas,” Roork says. “They are known by all law enforcement officers. They’re good investigators and rock-solid people.”
Weaver says when he was presented with the opportunity to make the transition to work at the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, it didn’t take him long to make up his mind.
Despite coming in and out of retirement for several years, Weaver says law enforcement is in his blood and is not something he is sure he will ever truly part from.
Jake Smith was also promoted within the department.
“I promoted him to lieutenant, which was a very good move as well. Jake has really demonstrated leadership qualities I didn’t really know he had since I placed him in that position,” Roork says. “With this team, this is going to be one of the best departments in the state of Arkansas.”
Smith was hired to work at the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office approximately six years ago. During the course of his career, he was given the opportunity to work with and learn from Boshears and Weaver.
Roork says another addition to the team will be Charlie Broyles. Broyles works as the IT and maintenance person for the Fulton County Hospital, but he will soon make the transition to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.
Roork says he feels like the sheriff’s office had not previously served the public in the capacity they deserved. He says he believes the changes in leadership will positively reflect changes in service.
Roork was recently reminded of a comment Weaver made years ago.
“He (Weaver) told us one time during one of his serious moments, when you do this job, we have a constitution we live by, it’s what makes our country great. When you do this job and you’re doing an investigation, always assume that person is innocent and try to prove their innocence and in the process of trying to prove their innocence, if they are guilty, you will prove them guilty. But always assume they’re innocent,” Roork says.
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