Law and Order in the Ozarks (Part CXXXVII): Recent developments in the reach of Newton County law enforcement

It's been a while since I've blogged about issues out of Newton County, Arkansas (population 7,225) where I grew up, but I want to catch up here primarily on recent news regarding law enforcement staffing in the county.  My focus here is on two stories about beefing up security/law enforcement presence in two places--one a school and the other the courthouse.  

First, a Newton County Times story from October, 2022, reported that the Deer/Mt. Judea School District was hiring a school resource officer.  Here's an excerpt:   

The board has been discussing the possibility of hiring an SRO the last couple of months as the need for on campus security has become a growing concern of school staff and students' parents.

Superintendent Brenda Napier said the cost to the school district would be meeting the officer's salary which has been estimated between $34,000 and $40,000 per year depending on the officer's amount of training and experience.

The actual interviewing and hiring process will be done by the Newton County Sheriff's Office.

The scope of the officer's duties and how the officer would be assigned to cover both campuses will have to be determined by the school board, Napier said.

Nothing in the story indicates why an SRO is needed--that is, whether safety issues have arisen.  

In other news, the board accepted the resignation of the district's school nurse and approved a list of transfers into the school district. All will be enrolled in the district's Digital Education Program. One student is transferring out of the district. The board also accepted the annual legislative audit report.

I have not seen any update on the hiring of an SRO, and meanwhile, in March 2023, the Jasper School District Board of Education applied for a $120K School Safety Grant from the State of Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. The application notes that the school district has not conducted a comprehensive school safety audit or assessment, but it has done the following:

• Conducted an annual lockdown (active shooter) drill at each school
• Provided current floor plans and pertinent emergency contact information to appropriate first responders
• Developed a School Safety Plan for each school and provided annual training for all staff
• Identified an individual in the district responsible for overseeing school safety
• Implemented strategies to increase the presence of trained law enforcement officers or commissioned school security officers on school campuses.

Safety measures not yet in place on all campuses include:

• Electronic access controls for high frequency use exterior doorsCovers for vision panels on classroom doors that prevent viewing into the classrooms and allow students a blind area to hide during a lockdown
• Temporary door stoppers or blockers for doors that need additional security may also be purchased, but must comply with current state Fire Prevention Code and ADA standards for accessible design
• Numbers on classroom interior and exterior surfaces easily identifiable to first responders so they can reference the position of students and or intruders.
• District campuses should have fencing that limits access to the school entrances, especially the main entrance.

Other priorities include security cameras, shatter resistant film or other reinforcement for glass windows and physical barriers to prevent access at the main school entrance.

More recently, the Newton County Times reported on March 13 that the Quorum Court has created a courthouse security officer position.  Here's an excerpt: 

The Newton County Quorum Court met Monday night, March 6, and created a position and the budget for a courthouse security officer. Now, all that is needed is for interested, but certified, individuals to apply for the job.

County Judge Warren Campbell said having a courthouse security officer isn't required by state or federal laws. However, he and other courthouse officials feel times being what they are additional security in the courthouse would benefit county employees as well as the public who comes here to do business or attend court. Over the years, the courthouse security has been beefed up with closed circuit monitors, electronic locks on the entry doors and stronger interior doors.

Rarely is there an officer from the sheriff's office in attendance at quorum court meetings.
The security officer would be required to attend all county courthouse functions upon the request of the county judge at the same pay scale that is approved. "No extra pay." 

This is a full-time position with an annual salary of $28,080. The county would also pay the officer's health insurance, $7,476; noncontributory retirement, $4,301.86; Social Security matching, $2,148.12; Workmen's Compensation, $500 and Unemployment Compensation, $300.

Some of the Justices of the Peace (members of the Quorum Court, like a County Board of Supervisors) noted that the county insurance alone would be attractive to prospective employees.  Still, Donnie Davis, County Clerk, said that although the position has been discussed openly around the courthouse, no one has yet to inquire about it.  The lack of inquiries may be due to the requirement that the employee must have graduated from the Arkansas Law Enforcement Academy, and the cost of the training is not included in the county budget.  

That same issue of the paper includes this story about a man who accuses the federal park rangers with the Buffalo National River of abusing their authority.  Thomas Jefferson, a  U.S. Army veteran and resident of Marion County, is accusing National Park Service rangers of abusing their authority.  He is seeking to make the public aware that these rangers' authority applies only within national park boundaries.  An excerpt from the story follows: 

Johnson appeared before the Newton County Quorum Court at its March 6 meeting and asked for time during the part of the meeting when JPs open the floor for public comments.

He called attention to NPS Director's Order #9 - 2005, a copy of which he distributed to the court members.

Johnson contends,  

[T]he park service doesn't want you to know about the[se limits on their power].

The information he submitted defines more in detail park service rangers' law enforcement limitation. They may request local, county or state law enforcement personnel to assist with law enforcement actions within the boundaries of a national park. Rangers cannot be deputized by local or state law enforcement authorities for any law enforcement action that occurs outside a national park boundary.

NPS park ranger assistance can be obtained by outside law enforcement only in cases of emergency. Emergency is defined for use only in response to an unexpected occurrence the requires immediate attention and to the administration of the park such as fire, accidents, local/state law enforcement assistance or actions that place the public in harm's way. NPS law enforcement park rangers cannot assume law enforcement authority outside the national park boundaries.

Johnson cited the National Park's Reference Manual 9-2015, which defines the scope of the rangers' jurisdiction, and he took questions from the Justices of the Peace.  Johnson explained, 

If a violation occurred within the boundaries the ranger can pursue and make a stop outside the park boundaries. But if the ranger is making a stop for a violation outside the park boundaries he has no authority to do so. Johnson said to let the ranger know the limitations of the ranger's authority.

Johnson argues there is a conflict between state and federal laws and courts are allowing this to happen, apparently for the revenue collected through fines.

Johnson concluded: 

I've exposed it and I'm not shutting up.

Also in that issue of the paper is this story about a man sentenced for leading unauthorized hiking tours on the Buffalo National River.  Here's a prior post about the man working as a guide without the permission of the Buffalo National River authorities. 

The February 15 issue of the paper reports that the Jasper Police Department purchased a 2023 Dodge Durango with a USDA Rural Development Grant.  That issue of the paper also reminds readers that Newton County is served by Sanctuary, Inc., a "temporary shelter and extended assistance, support and education to victims of domestic violence."  This information was shared at a meeting of the Newton County Hometown Health Coalition.  Sanctuary, Inc. is located in Harrison, 20 miles from Jasper.  

The February 22 issue of the Newton County Times reports that the Sheriff's office has been awarded $62,673.51 by the Arkansas Department of Public Safety to purchase equipment, including 16 tasers, taser certification and required software and warranties. 

In other news reported March 1, the Newton County Sheriff's office has signed a Mutual Aid Protection Agreement with the sheriffs departments in Boone, Searcy Carroll and Marion counties.  It also includes the Harrison Police Department.  The March 22 issue of the paper reports that the Sheriff's Office got a new roof at a cost of $13,700, replacing the one that was 20 years old.  COVID-19 relief funds were used for the project.  Additional work is scheduled on the interior.  

The March 15 issue reported on cases adjudicated in the Circuit Court.  

In non law enforcement news, lettuce grown in a greenhouse on the campus of Jasper School is being served in the school cafeteria, and the Jasper School Board has declared the day of the 2024 eclipse a "professional development day."