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Governor Hutchinson Receives Law-Enforcement Task Force Report, Highlights Action Items

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LITTLE ROCK – Governor Hutchinson received the final report from the Task Force to Advance the State of Law Enforcement in Arkansas today and shared its recommendations that the Governor 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.