Arkansas State Police

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Arkansas State Police
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Common nameArkansas State Police
AbbreviationASP
Agency overview
FormedMarch 19, 1935;89 years ago (1935-03-19)
Employees949 (as of July 2024) [1]
Legal personalityGovernmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionArkansas, USA
ARHP Troop Map.jpg
Map of Arkansas State Police's jurisdiction
Size53,179 square miles (137,730 km2)
Population2,834,797 (2007 est.) [2]
Legal jurisdictionFlag of Arkansas.svg  Arkansas
Governing body Government of Arkansas
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters Little Rock, Arkansas
State Troopers586 (authorized, as of 2022) [3]
Civilians384 (as of Oct 2023) [1]
Agency executives
  • Mike Hagar, DPS Secretary
  • Colonel Mike Hagar, Director
Parent agency Arkansas Department of Public Safety
Facilities
Troops12
Notables
People
Website
Arkansas State Police

The Arkansas State Police is a state police division of the Arkansas Department of Public Safety and the "premier" law enforcement agency in the State of Arkansas. The Arkansas State Police 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. [4]

Contents

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. [5]

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: [6]

Organization


Highway Patrol

Arkansas State Police - Highway Patrol
TroopStationCounties Covered
Troop A Little Rock, Arkansas Faulkner, Lonoke, Pulaski and Saline
Troop B Newport, Arkansas Cleburne, Independence, Jackson, Lawrence, Sharp, and White
Troop C Jonesboro, Arkansas Clay, Craighead, Greene, Mississippi, Poinsett, and Randolph
Troop D Forrest City, Arkansas Crittenden, Cross, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, Prairie, St. Francis, and Woodruff
Troop E Pine Bluff, Arkansas Arkansas, Desha, Jefferson, and Lincoln
Troop F Warren, Arkansas Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Cleveland, Dallas, Drew, Ouachita, and Union
Troop G Hope, Arkansas Columbia, Hempstead, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, and Sevier
Troop H Fort Smith, Arkansas Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Scott, and Sebastian
Troop I Harrison, Arkansas Baxter, Boone, Fulton, Izard, Marion, Newton, Searcy, and Stone
Troop J Clarksville, Arkansas Conway, Johnson, Perry, Pope, Van Buren, and Yell
Troop K Hot Springs, Arkansas Clark, Garland, Grant, Hot Spring, Montgomery, Pike, and Polk
Troop L Lowell, Arkansas Benton, Carroll, Madison, and Washington

Criminal Investigations

Arkansas State Police - Criminal Investigations
CompanyStationCounties Covered
Company A Little Rock, Arkansas Crittenden, Cross, Faulkner, Lee, Lonoke, Monroe, Phillips, Prairie, Pulaski, Saline, St. Francis, and Woodruff
Company B Pine Bluff, Arkansas Arkansas, Ashely, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Cleveland, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Jefferson, and Lincoln
Company C Hope, Arkansas Clark, Columbia, Garland, Grant, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Montgomery, Nevada, Pike, Polk, and Sevier
Company D Fort Smith, Arkansas Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Madison, Scott, Sebastian, and Washington
Company E Harrison, Arkansas Baxter, Boone, Conway, Fulton, Izard, Johnson, Marion, Newton, Perry, Pope, Searcy, Stone, Van Buren, and Yell
Company F Jonesboro, Arkansas Clay, Cleburne, |Craighead, Greene, Independence, Jackson, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, Randolph, Sharp,and White

Crimes Against Children

Arkansas State Police - Crimes Against Children
AreaStationCounties Covered
Area I Lowell, Arkansas Benton, Boone, and Carroll
Area II Springdale, Arkansas Washington, Madison, and Newton
Area III Mountain View, Arkansas Baxter, Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Marion, Randolph, Searcy, Sharp, and Stone
Area IV Paragould, Arkansas Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Greene, Mississippi, and Poinsett
Area V Fort Smith, Arkansas Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Pope, Sebastian, and Yell
Area VI Clinton, Arkansas Conway, Faulkner, Garland, Perry, Saline, and Van Buren
Area VII Searcy, Arkansas Lee, Lonoke, Monroe, Phillips, Prairie, St. Francis, White, and Woodruff
Area VIII Little Rock, Arkansas Pulaski County
Area IX DeQueen, Arkansas Clark, Columbia, Grant, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Montgomery, Nevada, Pike, Polk, Scott, and Sevier
Area X Stuttgart, Arkansas Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Cleveland, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Grant, Jefferson, Lincoln, Ouachita, and Union

Rank structure

TitleInsigniaDescription
Director (Colonel)
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Director holds the Rank of Colonel, appointed by the Governor of Arkansas to be the professional head of the Department
Deputy Director (Lieutenant Colonel)
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Deputy Director holds the Rank of Lieutenant Colonel, second-in-command of department and second highest ranked commissioned officer in the department.
Major
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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
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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
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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
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A Sergeant holds First supervisory rank, responsible for overseeing and supervising Troopers and non-commissioned personnel in the performance of their duties
Corporal
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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
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Rank attained by Trooper after completion of 4+12 years of service.
Trooper
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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
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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

Notables

See also

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On March 7, 2006, Joseph Erin Hamley, an unarmed man, was fatally shot by Arkansas State Trooper Larry P. Norman of West Fork, Arkansas. At 7 a.m. on March 7, 2006, Hamley, who had cerebral palsy, was walking alone on U.S. Route 412, just outside the community of Tontitown along the Benton-Washington county line when several Washington County deputies surrounded him. Four minutes later, before being identified, and while lying on the ground, a shotgun slug fired by Norman, an Arkansas State Trooper breaking police protocol and procedure killed Hamley. The fatal shooting was recorded from multiple vantage points on dashboard cameras of the various police cruisers present. Norman was indicted on and pled guilty to negligent homicide.

References

  1. 1 2 USDOJ Statistics Archived 2008-11-20 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "2007 Population Estimates". Archived from the original on 2010-11-08. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  3. "Arkansas State Police needs starting salary boost to keep officers, agency director tells lawmakers | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette". 19 January 2022.
  4. Arkansas Code Annotated § 12-8-106
  5. Arkansas State Police Website
  6. Arkansas State Police Commissioners
  7. "Arkansas Governor SHS".
  8. "Get to Know the Secretary".
  9. "Director".
  10. 1 2 "Deputy Director".
  11. 1 2 3 "Administrative Services".
  12. "Employment".
  13. "Personnel".
  14. "Arkansas State Police Recruitment Plan - Equal Employment Opportunity Policy" (PDF). 2020.
  15. "Highway Patrol".
  16. 1 2 3 "Crimes Against Children".
  17. Oyez article about the case
  18. "Troopers Say Clinton Sought Silence on Personal Affairs", Los Angeles Times , December 21, 1993.
  19. "Officers Mistakenly Shoot Young Man With Disabilities As He Lay On His Back" . Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  20. "Former trooper sentenced for shooting of disabled Springdale man". Arkansas Online. 28 June 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  21. "Ex-Trooper Larry Norman Released From Jail". Archived from the original on 2013-02-04. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  22. "Inclusion Daily Express -- State Police Agrees To Pay $1 Million To Erin Hamley's Estate" . Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  23. "FOX 16 Investigates: Woman files lawsuit hoping for policy change surrounding PIT maneuvers". KLRT - FOX16.com. 2021-06-04. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
  24. "Arkansas State Police settles PIT maneuver lawsuit which injured pregnant woman". KARK. 2021-11-19. Retrieved 2022-08-07.