Jason Aaron

The meeting addressed several key administrative and operational matters. Weapon resolutions were approved, allowing retiring Corporal Scott Ellis to retain his service weapon and purchase his service shotgun. Promotion certificates were presented, and official commendation awards were given to Special Agents Mark Fallis and Kevin Hrabal for their work on a significant human trafficking investigation that contributed to a larger nationwide effort. A presentation recognized CDL Examiner Dempsie Coffman for achieving over 50 years of service to the Arkansas State Police. Division reports covered financial status, including a carryover in the ASP Health Plan, and operational statistics for the Crimes Against Children Division, Criminal Investigation Division, and Highway Patrol Division. The Highway Patrol report detailed high call volumes, arrests, DWI statistics, and commendable recovery efforts by the Emergency Response Team. Regulatory and Building Operations reported on background checks, dealer applications, and fire investigations. The Commission entered an executive session to consider personnel matters, resulting in the approval of a reinstatement to Trooper for Bryan Rose, and promotions to Sergeant for Josh Berry and Brandon Love.

The Arkansas State Police Commission meeting included weapon resolutions for retiring officers, promotion certificates, and the presentation of the "Sonny" Cox Award of Excellence in Public Safety Communications to Barry Vaughn Roy. Division reports covered fiscal matters, administrative services, crimes against children, criminal investigations, highway patrol, and regulatory and building operations. The ASP Foundation provided updates on scholarships, the Hearts for Heroes program, and the Capital Campaign. The commission then went into executive session to discuss personnel matters, resulting in promotions within the Highway Patrol Division and the Director's Office.

The meeting included the presentation of several promotion certificates for personnel within the Highway Patrol Division and the Director's Office. Division reports covered revenue and expenses for December, administrative services updates including retirements and disciplinary actions, and statistics from the Crimes Against Children Division regarding hotline contacts and case assignments, noting a consistent substantiation rate. The Criminal Investigations Division reported on initiated cases, including officer-involved shootings and homicides, highlighting successes in resolving cold cases and a significant increase in cyber tips related to child exploitation in 2025, leading to arrests and convictions. The Highway Patrol Division detailed statistics on calls for service, arrests, DWI enforcement, citations issued, vehicle pursuits (noting a decrease from the previous year), and asset seizures by the ICP Team. Regulatory and Building Operations reported on background checks, dealer applications, and provided an update on construction progress at Camp Robinson. The Commission proceeded to an Executive Session to consider personnel matters, followed by the election of 2026 officers, resulting in new appointments for Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Secretary. The Commission approved the annual $60.00 stipend and $.52 per mile mileage reimbursement rates, appointed committee members for Health Insurance, and ratified two additional promotions: Sergeant Gregory McNeese to Lieutenant and Lieutenant Marcus Daniels to Captain.

The meeting included several agenda items concerning agency establishment requests, extensions, waivers, and multiple requests for decertification hearings for former officers/deputies across various Arkansas agencies, including Faulkner County Sheriff's Office and Little Rock Police Department. The commission granted the establishment requests for the Arkansas Department of Commerce and the City of Colt police departments, approved an extension request for Officer Freddie Parks, and denied a waiver request for Officer Stephanie Banks. Several suspension hearings were conducted, resulting in lifting suspensions and placing officers/departments on probation, including a significant administrative fine for the Gurdon Police Department. The Director's Report provided construction updates for East Camden and Springdale projects, noted the success of a new 911 telecommunicator course, discussed cognitive performance coaching for officers, progress on grant funding applications, and announced an increase in academy training hours to 673 core hours for future classes.

The Arkansas Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (ARCEMP) serves as an all-hazards operational framework for the State of Arkansas. It defines the coordinated responsibilities of local, state, and federal governments, alongside volunteer and private sector resources, for incident response. The plan establishes a general structure for prevention, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation activities, organized around sixteen Emergency Support Functions. It aims to reduce vulnerability, protect life and property, and ensure the effective deployment and management of resources across the state, adhering to National Incident Management System (NIMS) principles and National Response Framework lifelines.