Arkansas State Police celebrates 90th anniversary
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) —The Arkansas State Police (ASP) is marking 90 years since its establishment as the state's primary law enforcement agency.
On Mar. 19, 1935, Governor J.M. Futrell and the Arkansas General Assembly approved Act 120, creating the ASP. Initially composed of 13 officers, the agency was tasked with enforcing traffic laws and newly enacted liquor regulations.
Over time, its responsibilities expanded to include criminal investigations and highway patrol.
1948 – ASP established separate divisions for highway patrol and criminal investigations.
1957 – The agency expanded under Governor Orval Faubus, increasing its presence across the state.
1967 – ASP hired its first African American officer, Marion Taylor, and engaged in efforts to enforce state laws in Hot Springs, where illegal gambling had persisted.
1975 – Barbara Cart became the agency's first female officer, and ASP integrated computerized records into its operations.
1980s-1990s – The agency expanded its drug enforcement initiatives, including a marijuana eradication program and drug interdiction units.
2019 – ASP was placed under the newly formed Arkansas Department of Public Safety as part of Act 910.
Today, ASP operates as a division within the Arkansas Department of Public Safety, with nearly 1,000 officers and civilian employees. The agency remains responsible for law enforcement efforts across the state, including highway safety and criminal investigations.
University of Arkansas issues measles advisory amid U.S. surge
Since its founding, ASP has contributed to a decline in traffic fatality rates, from 24 deaths per 100 million miles traveled in 1934 to two per 100 million miles by 2001, according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
'We want to honor and thank all of the men and women – past and present – who have proudly worn the badge and Big Hat in selfless service to the citizens of our great state,' ASP Colonel Mike Hagar said in a news release. 'Here's to many more wonderful years ahead for YOUR ARKANSAS STATE POLICE!'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Felony charged reduced for former Fort Smith city internal auditor hire
FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The felony charge for a Fort Smith woman recently hired as the city's internal auditor and subsequently fired has been reduced, according to Oklahoma court documents. Rebecca Cowan, 48, was previously accused of felony stalking in Oklahoma. Court documents filed in LeFlore County say on March 15, 2023, a man identified as Cowan's husband received a notification on his phone that there was an Apple AirTag near him. The man went to a friend's house, and they found the tag zip-tied under his truck. Fort Smith human resources director retires amid internal auditor hiring controversy Authorities later found that the AirTag was linked back to Cowan's phone number. The man said he was divorcing Cowan at the time and this was not the first time he had been tracked by her, according to the affidavit. A detective with the LeFlore County Sheriff's Office spoke with Cowan over the phone to get her side of the story. Cowan said she only put an AirTag in her daughter's bag. The detective tried to contact Cowan multiple times two weeks later, but she reportedly did not answer any of the calls, the affidavit said. The husband's friend gave a statement detailing where they found the AirTag and said Cowan had a previous history of stalking. Cowan was arrested in connection with that case in Sebastian County on June 7, 2024, and was transferred to LeFlore County on June 10, 2024. Court records say on May 21, LeFlore County District Attorney Tim Webster filed to dismiss the felony stalking charge and added a misdemeanor violation of the Computer Crimes Act charge. WATCH: Video shows inmate's attack on Sebastian County Sheriff's deputies Cowan is set to appear in court on July 2. Cowan's time as the internal auditor for the City of Fort Smith was short-lived. The Board of Directors appointed Cowan as the city's internal auditor on April 22, and she was set to start on May 27. Days after her hiring, Cowan's stalking charge became public and, on April 24, the board voted in a special meeting to terminate the agreement between Cowan and the city. A statement from a city spokesperson said that the city was aware of media reports concerning Cowan. 'The applicant disclosed references to ongoing legal issues as part of her application materials,' the spokesperson said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Second civil suit involving sex offender at Greenwood daycare resolved
GREENWOOD, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The second of two lawsuits involving a convicted sex offender from Hackett and a Greenwood preschool has been dismissed, according to court documents. Jamie Speaks, 56, was convicted of second-degree sexual assault on April 14 and sentenced to 18 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections with 12 years suspended. The Arkansas Crime Information Center's Sex Offender Registry database shows Speaks is a level two sex offender. Court documents say Speaks sexually assaulted a child at a daycare when they were two years old. In addition to Speaks' criminal case, he was named in two civil lawsuits against Miss Tina's Preschool in Greenwood that were filed in December 2023 and January 2024. However, both have been resolved, one in January and the other in May. The lawsuits accused the preschool of knowingly allowing a convicted child predator to be around children at the school, which reportedly led to long-term sexual abuse. WATCH: Video shows inmate's attack on Sebastian County Sheriff's deputies Speaks was accused of forcefully and intentionally 'making harmful physical sexual contact' with minors who were at Miss Tina's. The lawsuits said Speaks was charged in 1993 with molesting a seven-year-old who was in his care and his wife at their at-home daycare. His wife closed the daycare in 1994 after the incident and was later hired at Miss Tina's, according to the lawsuit. Tina Skaggs, the owner of the preschool, allegedly knew of Speaks' criminal history when she hired his wife and allowed him to spend time at the preschool despite his convictions and sex offender status, the lawsuit said. In the lawsuit, Skaggs denied the assertion that Speaks was 'frequently and consistently present' during the time of his wife's employment at the preschool. She also denied being aware that Speaks was left unsupervised with children and taking them into the bathroom. The unresolved lawsuit was set to go to trial on August 11 before it was dismissed on May 21. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
Pea Ridge Police Department earns ALEAP accreditation
PEA RIDGE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Pea Ridge Police Department announced Monday that it has officially earned Accreditation through the Arkansas Law Enforcement Accreditation Program, administered by the Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police. A post from the department stated that the 'recognition is a major accomplishment and reflects the high standards, professionalism, and dedication of the men and women who serve our community every day.' Only four agencies from the region have received ALEAP accreditation, including Fayetteville Police Department, Siloam Springs Police Department, Van Buren Police Department, and University of Arkansas Police Department. Pea Ridge man arrested after alleged break-in attempts, found with pants off The post further states that 'accreditation means that our department has undergone a rigorous review of our policies, procedures, training, and operations to ensure we are meeting the best practices in modern policing. It shows our continued commitment to transparency, accountability, and excellence in service.' Lt. John Langham with PRPD says that while the department has 24 officers in total, this was an important step to take in ensuring that trust is built within the community. 'We want the community to be able to trust us. We want the community to know that we're doing things correctly,' Langham said. 'It's something that the community can be proud of, to know that their police department has gone through that process to be accredited, and that an agency looked at that and said, 'Yes, this department's doing what it's supposed to be doing.'' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
