LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Gov. Asa Hutchinson received the final report from the Task Force to Advance the State of Law Enforcement in Arkansas Thursday and shared its recommendations that he intends to support during the 93rd General Assembly in January.
“I created the law-enforcement task force in the midst of the civil unrest and violence that arose across the country after the death of George Floyd,” Governor Hutchinson said. “That national crisis led us to assess the state of law enforcement in Arkansas. We want to ensure that we are providing our agencies with the equipment, guidance and training, support, and compensation, that will allow them to perform their jobs at the highest level. The law-enforcement officers, elected officials, and community activists on the task force surveyed a broad base of citizens and produced a report that is filled with substantive proposals.”
The proposals include 27 recommendation to increase accountability, training, and raise pay to a more competitive level.
Fred Weatherspoon, deputy director of the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy, chaired the committee. The other members of the task force are:
Secretary Jami Cook, Department of Public Safety (DPS)
Sheriff Marty Boyd, Craighead County Sheriff’s Office
Tim Campbell, Citizen Advocate, Little Rock
Kendrell Collins, Assistant Federal Public Defender
Emma Davis, Citizen Advocate, Van Buren
Lt. Col. Shawn Garner, Arkansas State Police
Gina Gomez, El Centrano Hispano
Sgt. Allen Hamby, Little Rock Police Department
Scott Hamilton, Urban League
Sheriff Tim Helder, Washington County Sheriff’s Offic
Layla Holloway, Citizen Advocate, Van Buren
Mike Knoedl, Retired Law Enforcement Officer
Daniel Martinez, Business Owner, De Queen
Bob McMahan, Arkansas Officer of Prosecutor Coordinator
Chief Mike Reynolds, Fayetteville Police Department
Mayor James Sanders, Blytheville
Geovanny Sarmiento, Rogers Chamber of Commerce
Randy Shores, Arkansas Department of Corrections
Steve Shults, Black River Law Enforcement Training Academy
Jimmy Warren, Citizen Advocate, Conway
Mayor Shirley Washington, Pine Bluff
Chief Percy Wilburn, Lake Village Police Department
Sgt. Coty Williams, Arkansas State Police
Tomekia Williamson, Arkansas Community Corrections
The highlights are here.
The full report is here.
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