Arkansas State Police

Arkansas State Police
Abbreviation ASP

Patch of the Arkansas State Police

Badge of the Arkansas State Police
Agency overview
Formed March 19, 1935 (1935-03-19)
Employees 863 (as of 2004) [1]
Legal personality Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
ASP Troop Map
Size 53,179 square miles (137,730 km2)
Population 2,834,797 (2007 est.)[2]
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters Little Rock, Arkansas[3]
Troopers 508 (as of 2004) [1]
Civilians 355 (as of 2004) [1]
Agency executive Colonel Stan Witt[4], Director
Website
http://www.asp.arkansas.gov/index.html
ASP car

The Arkansas State Police is a state police agency for Arkansas, which has jurisdiction anywhere in the state. It was created to protect the lives, property and constitutional rights of people in Arkansas. Unlike other similarly named state police organizations in the United States, the Arkansas State Police is more of a Department of Public Safety in that it is an umbrella organization rather than a general policing agency. The uniformed divisions is as a highway patrol not a general power police as the Arkansas constitution grants that authority to the various county sheriffs and local police. While the Arkansas State Police was developed primarily to enforce liquor laws and assist local police departments, all commissioned State Troopers have arrest authority that is equal to that of the County Sheriffs regarding any/all criminal and traffic laws of Arkansas. The official duties of the Arkansas State Police is as an assisting agency in a mentor role to the local agencies and to aid in the supply of resources not afforded to the local agencies.

On March 19, 1935, when Arkansas Governor J.M. Futrell and the Arkansas General Assembly approved and signed into law Act 120, known as the Chrip-Carter bill, the Arkansas State Police was born.

The first men to be empowered in Arkansas with statewide law enforcement duties and responsibilities were known as Rangers. The name later changed to troopers.[5]

State Police Commission

The seven member State Police Commission is composed of seven members appointed by the Governor of Arkansas for a term of seven (7) years. The officers of the Commission will be chairman, vice-chairman and secretary. Election of officers will be held annually at the January commission meeting. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by applicable law, this rule, and the parliamentary authority adopted by the agency. The commission is responsible for the overall control of the Arkansas State Police.

Current Members:[6]

Neff Basore - Member, Bella Vista Term: 2015-2021

Bill Benton - Member, Heber Springs Term: 2015

Jane Dunlap Christenson - Member, Harrison Term: 2014-2020

Frank Guinn, Jr. - Vice Chairman, Paragould, Term: 2010-2016

Dr. Lewis Shepherd - Secretary, Arkadelphia Term: 2011-2017

John W. Allison - Member, Conway, Term: 2012-2018

Bob Burns - Member, Little Rock Term: 2013-2019

Organization

ASP Personnel Trooper Recruiting

The Highway Patrol Division is divided into two regions:

Administrator and Area Offices

Rank structure

Title Insignia Description
Director
Rank of Colonel, appointed by the Governor of Arkansas to be the professional head of the Department
Deputy Director
Rank of Lieutenant Colonel, second-in-command of Department and second highest ranked commissioned officer in the Department.
Major
Responsible for serving as a Highway Patrol Division Regional Commander, as the Criminal Investigation Division Commander or as the Administrative Services Division Commander
Captain
Responsible for serving as a Highway Patrol Troop Commander, Criminal Investigation Division Regional Commander or other upper-level administrative and managerial staff position.
Lieutenant
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
First supervisory rank, responsible for overseeing and supervising Troopers and non-commissioned personnel in the performance of their duties
Corporal
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
Rank attained by Trooper after completion of 4 1/2 years of service.
Trooper
Rank attained by Recruits upon successful completion of the training academy, responsible for field law enforcement patrol or specialized or technical law enforcement function.
Recruit
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.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 USDOJ Statistics
  2. ↑ http://www.census.gov/popest/states/NST-ann-est.html 2007 Population Estimates
  3. ↑ Home page. Arkansas State Police. Retrieved on April 20, 2015. "One State Police Plaza DrLittle Rock, AR 72209"
  4. ↑ "Arkansas State Police Website". Arkansas State Police Website.
  5. ↑ http://www.asp.arkansas.gov/asp/asp_story.html Arkansas State Police Website
  6. ↑ http://asp.arkansas.gov/directors-office/asp-commission/

External links

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