Evidence & Property

These two civilians operate and maintain the Evidence Room for HSPD. They log approximately seventy five items per week. Most of the items are evidence, but this room also serves as the city’s lost and found. The oldest evidence on hand typically dates back to around the late 1980’s. However, one piece of evidence, a bullet from a homicide, is logged with the date: 5/8/41, and the case is still open.

DNA evidence is kept indefinitely. No body parts are kept in the evidence room. They are sent to the State Crime Lab in Little Rock. Guns, drugs and drug items are destroyed regularly as prescribed by law. The department regularly turns over sellable items to the Garland County Sheriff for sale at the Sheriff’s auction.

Criminal Investigation Division

Captain Gary Miller, commander

The HSPD Criminal Investigation Division is comprised of veteran officers who have shown interest in the field of criminal investigation. They must have proven their ability to successfully perform patrol duties with little supervision. They must be able to display unwavering confidence on the witness stand under cross examination and have a clean discipline record. They must also have a keen understanding of criminal law and how to apply it as well as the rules of criminal procedure and how to process felony cases.

There are special units under the pervue of the CID Commander. These include: Street Crimes Unit, Crime Scene Unit, Abatement Officer and 18th Judicial Drug Task Force.

These officers are referred to as ‘detectives’. They wear plain clothes and drive unmarked cars. They can be found working around the clock and are always in a state of ‘on call’ status. Each detective has his/her own desk. Detective Supervisors have their own individual office.

The detectives investigate all HSPD reports that involve felony crimes and most very serious misdemeanor crimes. Some of the detectives are specifically trained to investigate homicide, forgery, sex crimes, meth labs and administer polygraph examinations.

Street Crimes Unit

Four officers are assigned to the Street Crimes Unit. They are the only detectives that patrol on a regular basis. They tend to gather intelligence which is aimed at specific problem areas. They get their information throughout the department and community. They have the luxury of being unmarked. So, in almost all instances, they are able to get much closer to their targeted suspect than a marked or uniformed officer. They spend a majority of their time working cases involving street level narcotic patrol and specific problem areas which require constant police presence

Drug Task Force

If there is an undercover group of officers at HSPD, this is it. They study drug sales, distribution and use throughout Garland County. These three officers are assigned to the 18th Judicial Drug Task Force which is run by the Garland County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Oliver. The DTF is comprised of officers and detectives from several different departments in and around Garland County. These officers have multi jurisdictional arrest authority. Most of these DTF Officers are all the way undercover. They tend to wear pony tail hair styles and scruffy beards in order to blend in with the unsavory characters that cook methamphetamine. Much of their time is spent trying to buy or sell illegal drugs, as well as, preparing and serving search warrants on drug houses and labs.

Abatement

This Detective deals with fighting crime by using civil laws in order to sue property owners who allow criminal or unsafe activity to occur on property they own. The law states very clearly how government may force the owner of an investigated property to manage a cease to the activity or stop renting the property all together.

Records Office

Mrs. Shirley Southard, supervisor

The Records Division is staffed by nine civilians who perform invaluable clerical work for the officers and the department. They serve as liaison between the HSPD and the courts. They keep track of money coming in and out of the police department. They keep track of employee’s sick time, pay, holidays and vacation time. They maintain all reports and forms generated by the department. They issue Taxi Cab Permits. They Order Supplies. They process all criminal background checks.

Special Voluntary Units

All police are special and deserve recognition, but the unselfish and repeated acts of going "above and beyond" simply can’t get enough recognition. These specialized units are not a luxury; they are a necessity. The fine officers that man these positions deserve the very best and every accolade possible. They clearly rise above and beyond that of the normal police calling. Volunteer officers belonging to these next units are just that. Volunteer. They do not get paid extra for belonging to these special units.

Honor Guard

Sgt. J.E. Mann, commander

These officers hold different ranks and positions at the department. They wear special items with the HSPD dress uniform that add an aire of ceremony to the ensemble such as gold ascots and white gloves. These officers are versed in the ways of the Military Honors which are conducted at military funerals. They fire the Twenty One Gun Salute, play Tapps and fold and present the American Flag to the family of the deceased officer. They perform this ceremony in the rain, snow, sleet or 105 degree sunshine. And many times, they do it on their days off.

These officers have been asked to perform for different police agencies across the state and they have traveled around the state in order to perform these honors. This is a noble and necessary function and they should be proud of themselves and each other.

Crime Scene Unit

Lt. Bob Southard, commander

These officers hold different ranks and positions within the department. These officers are responsible for responding to major crime scenes within the city. Each officer receives training that occupies the better part of 12 months.

Their equipment is stored and transported in the Mobile Crime Scene Unit. The Mobile Crime Scene Unit is an unmarked Chevrolet cargo van. It carries items that assist in the collection of evidence and the lifting of fingerprints. The van is also equipped with special lighting for night time operations and special protective clothing for the investigating officers. The function of this unit is much like that of the CSU shows on television only without the high, Hollywood drama.

S.W.A.T.

Lt. James Montgomery, commander

S.W.A.T. Team officers represent all the divisions of the HSPD. The SWAT Team is comprised of full time. SWAT members and Alternates. He alternates are utilized in the case of a full time members illness or vacation. All members attend training and respond to call outs. The S.W.A.T. Team is commanded by a lieutenant and his assistant, a sergeant.

S.W.A.T. members are on call 24 hours per day everyday. They must get approval from their supervisor as well as the S.W.A.T. Commander prior to taking time off.

Officers apply for openings as they occur. The S.W.A.T. Team Commander will announce the opening(s) and assign a deadline for application letters. In order to be considered for the S.W.A.T. team the applicant must have been employed by HSPD for a minimum of three years, score a minimum of 90 percent at the firing range, pass a physical agility test, pass an oral interview, pass a psychological test and be free from any disciplinary action.

Officers on the S.W.A.T Team are assigned some high speed weaponry. The H&K MP-5 sub machine gun is a favorite among many S.W.A.T. teams across the U.S. as well as the U.S. Navy S.E.A.L. Teams. The HSPD S.W.A.T. Team also employs the use of several different, and very expensive, sniper rifles. These rifles have scopes on them that can zoom in close enough to read everything printed on a dollar bill from 100 yards away. There is also infrared and night vision scopes for working in adverse weather conditions.

The S.W.A.T. Team doesn’t try to kill everybody. Their arsenal also includes police weapons referred to and marketed as "Less than Lethal." These items are things such as: shotgun projectiles that break open on impact and release pepper spray, rubber bullets, bean bag projectiles for the shotgun and the pepper spray grenade launcher – for large groups of rowdy people.

The S.W.A.T. Team trains hard and frequently. They usually can expect to be called out 2 to 4 times per month. These call outs are usually planned events that involve serving a warrant either on a suspected drug house or a dangerous fugitive from justice.

Paramedic, and former HSPD K-9 Officer, John Dodd has a S.W.A.T. Beeper. The ambulance company he works for, St. Joseph’s Life Mobile authorized him to attend all S.W.A.T. training and call outs. It is pretty standard for a member of a tactical team to be trained as a medic. While the paramedic is on scene with the members, an ambulance is staged nearby for rapid deployment in case of a medical emergency.

In addition to the special S.W.A.T. training the officers receive, the team benefits by having members trained specifically for hostage negotiation, paramedic, sniper and other specialized positions.

Chief Maddox rode with Cpl. Keith Bush on a hot day in August.

SFC Celina and Ofc. Darrell Bridgewater discussed the new, stylish and highly functional LED light bars the department recently implemented.

Officer Scott Lampinen investigates a suspected rolling meth lab in a Hot Springs neighborhood.

A Day At The Races

Chief Maddox took this picture of Hot Springs Police Sgt. J.E. Mann at the 2005 Arkansas Derby Post Parade as Officer Kenny Kizer, background, stands guard over the horse owners and trainers. (Mann choked Maddox as soon as the flash went off, but Maddox recovered in time to play the next race.)

Also pictured are Officer First Class Paul Calcagno, far left in background, and retired Arkansas State Trooper Vernon Watson, between the man with camera phone and Kizer.

At left, Hot Springs Police officers stand watch over the 2005 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs. This year's Derby winner was Afleet Alex, ridden by jockey Jeremy Rose

HSPD Honor Guard gets ready to perform military honors for the
funeral of Lt. Travis Bunn, Ret.

Members of the HSPD Honor Guard are shown en route to the funeral for Lt. Bunn.

Sgt. Gaut arrives with the honor guard at the cemetery.