ARKANSAS STATE POLICE TROOP L IN SPRINGDALE UNDER REVIEW AFTER TWO NOTABLE EVENTS THIS YEAR - TROOPER HITS ANOTHER WITH CAR & COMMUNICATION TECHS FUDGE LEAVE RECORDS

The Arkansas State Police will be conducting an administrative review of the police troop that patrols the northwest part of the state.

The review follows several incidents from Troop L in Springdale, including a high-speed pursuit that resulted in a trooper striking a lieutenant with his vehicle, according to state police spokesman Bill Sadler.

ASP SPOKESMAN BILL SADLER

 

Trooper Alan Aiken's report states he mistook Lt. John Overman of the State Police for a fleeing driver during the January 11, 2017 pursuit. A video recording shows Aiken's car striking Overman from behind and knocking him sideways to the ground.

Lt. Overman was in plainclothes at the time, and believes Trooper Aiken misidentified him as the suspect, according to the complaint.

“Trooper Aiken has had several pursuits since the above incident and continues to demonstrate a very limited ability to control his emotions and actions in stressful situations,” Lt. Overman wrote in the complaint.

Trooper Aiken “sees the incident as something of a joke,” Lt. Overman wrote. Trooper Aiken tried to get the repair shop to give him a piece of his vehicle’s bumper that was damaged when hitting Lt. Overman, so Trooper Aiken could turn it into a plaque, according to the complaint. 

On Thursday, September 21, 2017 Arkansas State Police Troop L staff were instructed to pull Trooper Aiken from pursuits he tries to join and to terminate any pursuits he begins, except in extreme cases, according to the complaint.

“Trooper Aiken has shown that he cannot be trusted to perform under stressful situations in a manner that does not jeopardize safety or that he does not bring embarrassment or liability to the department,” Lt. Overman wrote.

“He poses an extreme liability to the agency, the safety of the public, other officers and himself,” Lt. Overman wrote.
    

Other recent incidents include two civilian troop telecommunications operators that were suspended for several days without pay after they were accused of documenting sick leave as work time "on numerous occasions," according to a report. The State Police Review Board found the accusations to be true.

Sadler said commanders from administrative headquarters and Office of Professional Standards staff will meet with the troop's supervisors and troopers to review "routine practices and procedures."

The review began earlier this year. Saddler said the review was requested by Capt. Lance King and other police officials.

CAPT. LANCE KING

Troop L patrols Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington counties.

Stay tuned for updates.

JONESBORO POLICE OFFICER FIRED FOR FUELING UP HIS PERSONAL VEHICLES WITH CITY GAS CARD - WAS SAME COP IN VIRAL VIDEO LAST YEAR

OFFICER JUSTIN THOMPSON ADMITTED USING CITY CARD TO FUEL HIS PERSONAL VEHICLES

Jonesboro Police Officer Justin Thompson was fired this week after an internal investigation revealed that he has used a city issued gas card to fill up his personal vehicles as far back as 2016 which is a criminal offense - Theft of Property.

Sgt. Karen Oldham was reviewing gas purchase logs of officers and noticed irregularities in logs of Officer Justin Thompson.

SGT. OLDHAM HAD OFFICER THOMPSON IN HER SIGHTS OVER GAS PURCHASES

The records reflected that it appeared that Officer Thompson often filled his patrol car more than once on some days and that the mileage did not match up to the amounts of fuel being purchased.

Thompson often filled his patrol car up at the end of his shift and then filled it up again at the start of his next shift. 

Sgt. Oldham's suspicions heighten when she noticed that Officer Thompson on one particular day fueled his patrol car at 7:43 a.m. with 11.03 gallons of gas. The mileage noted at that time was 76961. Than at 11:03 a.m., Thompson fueled his patrol vehicle again with 11.13 gallons of gas, with the mileage noted as 76999. Sgt. Oldham calculated that Thompson's patrol unit used more than 10 gallons of gas to go 38 miles about three hours.

Sgt. Oldham began reviewing video from several Kum & Go stations for the dates and times that Officer Thompson was fueling up his patrol car and was shocked to find that on many occasions instead of filling up his patrol car, Thompson was putting gas into a Dodge Charger or a GMC Yukon, the same model of vehicles as owned by Thompson.

So on or about September 21st, Sgt. Oldham reported her findings to Capt. B.J. Smith. Smith then notified Thompson that he was the subject of an internal investigation and he needed to get his ass into Smith's office at 0900 the next morning.

CAPTAIN B.J. SMITH

 So on September 22nd, Capt. Smith had Thompson sign this form and then began interrogating him.

During the interrogation, Thompson admitted that he used his city issued gas card to put gas into her personal vehicles as well as vehicles of others. Thompson admitted that the only fuel that went into his GMC Yukon was gas purchased with his city issued card.

Thompson claimed that some of the gas purchased was to help stranded motorists but could not back up those statements with any proof.

After the interrogation, Thompson was placed on administrative leave with pay.

 Thompson was then summoned to the Chief's office on September 25th and was promptly fired.

CHIEF RICK ELLIOT

  

Thompson made several posts on his Facebook account concerning his actions.

 

Last year (August 2016) Thompson gained some unwanted notoriety when he failed to securely fasten handcuffs on 19 year old Logan Younger wrists and was placed in the back seat of his patrol car. The young scallywag was able to slide the handcuffs off one wrist and use it to bang on the car windows and the protective plexiglass barrier between him and Thompson.

Thompson became anxious and when Younger began kicking the car window he turned on the siren and hauled ass towards the Crittenden County Jail, driving in the middle turn lane in heavy traffic.

Younger then pulled a Zippo style lighter out of his pocket (another mistake by Thompson) and tried to set the interior of the police car on fire. This startled Thompson who lost control of the vehicle and rolled over ejecting Younger out of the rear window.

 

 

You can read an article about the crash by clicking here.
 
Video of this incident went viral and to  the best of our knowledge Thompson was not reprimanded for his carelessness that resulted in the accident.

The first video shows Younger in the backseat and the second video is from the dash camera of the patrol car.

LOGAN YOUNGER AFTER THE ACCIDENT

Younger was charged with escape 3rd degree, public intoxication, fleeing on foot and minor in possession.

If Younger was 19, then under Arkansas Law he was not a minor but a legal adult.  Silly policemen, tricks are for kids.

It's not clear if criminal charges will be filed against Thompson.

Stay tuned for updates.