Every profession, organization and agency has its own lingo. Sometimes you get so used to the lingo that you forget an outsider doesn't know what in the heck you're talking about. I was explaining to someone recently that while DTF and SWAT are both composed of Sheriff's Office and Conway officers. They are not the same officers and SWAT doesn't always accompany DTF. My explanation was met with a blank stare. I forgot not everyone knows what "DTF" is or how or why it's different from the Metro SWAT Team. [continues 449 words]
'It's a Liability Issue,' Conway Chief Tells County Law Enforcement Conway's police officers will soon be a buffer bunch, according to Police Chief Randall Aragon. Aragon told attendees of the regular gathering of the counties police chiefs on Thursday that a new policy requiring police officers to take physical-ability tests will go into effect Sept. 1. "It's a liability issue," the chief said. In some agencies, "officers who have not been able to help a citizen because of their physical condition have been sued. And officers who have tried to help citizens and got injured have sued the department, so it is a double-edged sword." [continues 643 words]
Three local law enforcement officers recently returned from a fairly unique class and will join just a handful in the state who can teach other officers to become Drug Recognition Experts. They are Sgt. Brian Morgan of the Faulkner County Sheriff's Office and Sgt. Larry Hearn and Officer David Short of the Conway Police Department. Hearn and Short are out of town but Morgan recently took the time to explain the program and what it all means. Back in the 1970s, a Los Angeles Police Office began noticing more and more people getting pulled over for DWI-like driving, but were not registering anything on breath tests. It didn't take long to figure out many of these people were intoxicated on something besides alcohol. [continues 746 words]
Woman Sees First-Hand Damage Meth Can Do Tears fell from Michelle Walters' eyes Monday night as she discussed how methamphetamine dramatically changed her family. Walters was addressing the dozen attendees of the Faulkner County Sheriff's Office's methamphetamine awareness meeting in Vilonia as her husband, Shannon, sat in the county Detention Center about 18 miles away. "My husband is one of the fortunate ones," Walters said. "He still has his family. Many have no one to encourage them to do good, to try to get out" of jail. [continues 655 words]
As part of the department's ongoing programs to educate the community, the Faulkner County Sheriff's Office is set to begin another round of methamphetamine awareness town meetings. The first will be Monday in Mayflower. "The protection of our families and communities from the meth epidemic requires the combined efforts of citizens and law enforcement," said Sheriff Marty Montgomery. "It is our (law enforcement's) job to educate the average citizen so they may not become a victim of one of the worst illegal drugs to plague our community." [continues 333 words]
Expert Says Staying In Kids' Life Will Help Parents See Warning Signs Steve Nawojczyk told Conway parents to listen to their children and they will tell you if something is wrong in their lives. "Don't assume because a kid looks a certain way that's how he is," said Nawojczyk, a noted expert on gangs. "What you can do as parents is stay on top of your kid's life." This sort of thing will help parents see the signs of impending violence or drug use, Nawojczyk told the group of about 150 parents and students gathered at the Conway Public Schools Auditorium. Nawojczyk spent much of Tuesday in Conway talking first to students and school officials, then to the public. [continues 503 words]
Meeting Underscores Seriousness Of Problem The Conway Regional Drug Task Force has raided more methamphetamine labs so far this year than it did all of last year. At 43, that's also nearly twice as many labs as were closed down just three years ago. These were just a few of the facts learned by the three dozen attendees of the first meth awareness town meeting held Monday at the University of Central Arkansas. The next meeting will be tonight at Greenbrier City Hall. "We refuse to stick our heads in the sand and say it's not here. Meth is here," Sheriff Marty Montgomery said. The meeting was coordinated by the Faulkner County Sheriff's Office and state Sen Gilbert Baker. "Methamphetamine is literally taking over. In my jail I had 203 prisoners this morning ... a large portion are there because of meth," Montgomery said. The problem was echoed by Joey Potratz, drug prevention coordinator for the Arkansas Sheriffs' Association. [continues 659 words]
Local police departments and the Faulkner County Sheriff's Office are teaming together to inform the public about one of the most dangerous drugs on the street today, methamphetamine, in hopes citizens will then team with them to lower the drug's popularity. "We hope to heighten the public's awareness of the growing methamphetamine abuse problem," said Jack Pike, public information officer for the Faulkner County Sheriff's Office. "Then with the knowledge they gain ... we hope they partner with law enforcement to help us fight the epidemic of meth." [continues 499 words]
(Editor's note: This is the first in a series of stories exploring the impact on Faulkner County of what is considered by authorities as the nation's biggest drug problem - crystal methamphetamine.) Arkansas has a title to be ashamed of -- that of the state with the most crystal methamphetamine labs per capita, according to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory. Conway Police Department Lt. Bob Berry heads the Conway Regional Drug Task Force, which covers all of Faulkner County. He and other local law enforcement personnel are seeing firsthand the rapid growth of drugs, specifically meth. [continues 1510 words]
Members of the Arkansas State Police are mourning the loss of one of their own. His name was Trooper Charlie. Trooper Charlie, a large brown and black German shepherd, was shot Monday morning by a member of the Conway Police Department SWAT team during a drug raid. The incident is under investigation and the name of the officer who shot the dog is not being released. Officials are releasing little information on the shooting. Charlie had been with the State Police for "four or five years," according to Cpl. Karl Byrd, canine coordinator for the ASP. [continues 525 words]
