Arkansas State Troopers: A Breed Apart

By Lieutenant Dempsie Coffman

Ride with the Troopers of the Arkansas State Police as they raid illegal gambling operations and take down drug dealers. Experience the helplessness as officers watch a fellow Trooper being ambushed. Mourn with the families when they receive word that a loved one has been killed in the line of duty. Feel the pain when you hear the sound of a twenty one-gun salute and cry as taps are blown at the funeral of a fallen comrade. You may wonder why anyone would choose to enter a profession that poses the danger associated with wearing a badge. Its pretty simple. Just ask any police officer who has rescued someone from a burning vehicle, or found a lost child and safely returned him or her to their parents. Then youll understand!

Lieutenant Coffman has also written an autobiography entitled "Life" (its all about the Family) and a book of poetry entitled "Southern Charm" I believe that you will enjoy reading all of his books.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 28, 2005
• ISBN: 9781465332615

Lieutenant Dempsie Coffman

Dempsie Coffman was sworn as an Arkansas State Trooper on October 7, 1973 and assigned to the Highway Patrol Division. In 1979 he received the prestigious Trooper of the Year award for saving a woman’s life. He was promoted to Sergeant on November 23, 1984 and to Lieutenant on June 17, 1988 and assigned as the Assistant Commander for Troop “B” at Newport. In March of 1995 he transferred to Troop “J” in Clarksville, where he served the remainder of his thirty-year career before retiring on April 30, 2004. Dempsie has also written an autobiography entitled “Life: It’s All About the Family” and a book of poetry entitled “Southern Charm”. I believe that you will enjoy reading all of these books.

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Copyright © 2005 by Lieutenant Dempsie Coffman.

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Contents

Acknowledgement

Introduction

Forward

CHAPTER 1

STATE ROAD PATROL

CHAPTER 2

ARKANSAS STATE RANGERS

CHAPTER 3

RANGER PROFILE

CHAPTER 4

INITIAL ASSIGNMENTS

CHAPTER 5

FIRST HEADQUARTERS

CHAPTER-6

A NEW DECADE

CHAPTER 7

POLITICAL UNREST

CHAPTER 8

SUPREME SACRIFICE

CHAPTER 9

SWEEPING CHANGES

CHAPTER 10

A RANGER RETURNS

CHAPTER 11

GOVERNOR ORVAL E. FAUBUS

CHAPTER 12

THE ROCKEFELLER ERA

CHAPTER 13

COLONEL WILLIAM C. (BILL) MILLER

CHAPTER 14

COLONEL DOUG HARP

CHAPTER 15

COLONEL TOMMY GOODWIN

CHAPTER 16

COLONEL JOHN BAILEY

CHAPTER 17

COLONEL TOM MARS

CHAPTER 18

COLONEL DON MELTON

CHAPTER 19

COLONEL STEVE DOZIER

CHAPTER 20

ARKANSAS GOVERNORS

CHAPTER 21

DIRECTORS OF THE ARKANSAS STATE POLICE

CHAPTER 22

HIGHWAY PATROL DIVISION COMMANDERS

CHAPTER 23

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION COMMANDERS

CHAPTER 24

TROOPER OF THE YEAR

CHAPTER 25

TROOPER’S KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY

CHAPTER 26

TRIBUTE TO SLAIN TROOPER’S

CHAPTER 27

PROMOTIONS

CHAPTER 28

RETIREES

CHAPTER 29

PERSONNEL ROSTER

CHAPTER 30

EPILOGUE

This book is dedicated to the brave men and women of the Arkansas State Police, and to the memory of those who have paid the supreme sacrifice while providing the citizens of this great State with the protection of life and property.

Acknowledgement

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the past and present members of the Arkansas State Police, for sharing information with me which helped make this book a reality.

There is no way that I, or anyone else could or should embark on a mission of this magnitude without paying tribute to the people who were responsible for creating the department of the Arkansas State Police and establishing the foundation that made it one of the finest police organizations in the world.

Recognition should certainly be given to Governor Junius Marion Futrell, who on March 19, 1935 fulfilled his vision to create a statewide law enforcement agency when he signed Act 120 into law creating the Arkansas State Rangers.

Next would be the thirteen original Rangers for their hard work and dedication to duty. These men set the high standards, which continue to provide the members of the Arkansas State Police with the respect and recognition that they have and deserve.

Introduction

I had the great honor to work with the members of the Arkansas State Police for over thirty years. I never dreamed at the conclusion of my swearing in ceremony on October 7, 1973, that I would some day be fortunate enough to receive the prestigious Trooper of the Year Award and be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Needless to say my career was both rewarding and gratifying. I often heard rumors that someone was going to write a history book detailing the events of our past. As the end of my career drew closer, I come to the conclusion that I should undertake the responsibility of such a project. While I felt compelled to write a book documenting our legacy, I knew it would require a great deal of time and effort if it were to be done properly. While it is almost impossible to be error free on a project dating back seventy years, I made a valiant attempt to research and record the following events in a truthful and accurate manner. All information documented in this book was provided by the members of the Arkansas State Police, and I have not intentionally omitted any particular person or event. Writing this book was a labor of love for me and I worked very diligently to have it completed in time to coincide with the seventieth anniversary of the department. I hope that it will provide you and the future members of the Arkansas State Police with countless hours of enjoyment as you read about the events that have brought the department from its infancy to where it is today.

Lieutenant Dempsie Coffman

Arkansas State Police

(Retired)

Forward

To say Arkansas State Troopers live in a different world is putting it mildly. They will see and do things during their life time that most folks can’t even imagine. Troopers have to deal with a wide variety of situations and people on a continual basis. When encountering an injured person they are required to render aid much like a doctor but on a lesser scale. Troopers are charged with the responsibility of investigating accidents, criminal and domestic cases, as well as drug and alcohol related offenses. When arresting lawbreaker’s, Troopers have to be familiar with the local, state and federal laws or risk loosing the case. If not handled in the proper manner, they face the possibility of being reprimanded, suspended, terminated or sued. All calls must be handled in a way that will satisfy those involved as well as the supervisor. Troopers are often required to take a certain amount of physical and verbal abuse without violating the other person’s constitutional rights or face the consequences. Their supervisors, peers, the press and quite often the general public scrutinize their actions. Troopers are required to work nights, weekends and holidays. When one is fortunate enough to get time off they are often required to leave a telephone number where they can be reached or have a pager with them at all times. The very nature of the job requires a state trooper to work under stressful conditions on a daily basis. It is nothing like the television shows depicted by those in Hollywood. The job is more often than not repetitive, but it can also be rewarding. Therefore, the trooper has to continually challenge him/herself and remain focused on what the mission is. Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t It.? Well it’s not always that cut and dried. Although, being an Arkansas State Trooper is both demanding and rewarding, the reward is by no means monetary. The reward comes by helping those in need. It takes a special person to wear the badge of an Arkansas State Trooper. It takes a person who is prepared to lay their life on the line for a brother or sister officer or a complete stranger if necessary, without thinking anything about it. Troopers know when they raise their right hand and take the oath of office that they are entering a dangerous profession which may require the supreme sacrifice, and they do it without reservation. There is no one on earth quite like an Arkansas State Trooper. They are not super-heroes, but they are "A Breed Apart.

CHAPTER 1

STATE ROAD PATROL

(HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT)

Whenever the Arkansas State Police is mentioned, most people think of a uniformed trooper writing a speeding ticket. Certainly, the highway patrol officer is the most visible member of the department. The unformed officer, for all his visibility, represents only one of the many functions of the Arkansas State Police. To get a full, clear view of the many and varied functions of the Arkansas State Police, we must start at the beginning. Thus the Arkansas State Rangers was created, consisting of only thirteen men. During the late twenties, Arkansas highways were increasing in both quality and distance. Motor vehicles were becoming the way of life and the means of our economy. Arkansas and the surrounding states began to realize the need for traffic law enforcement of a uniform, statewide nature. The first attempt to accomplish this objective was to create the State Road Patrol through act 359 of 1929. Delegating police power to the already established License Inspectors formed this division of the State Highway Department. The bill was introduced by Senator Duvall Purkins of Ashley County, and signed into law by Governor Harvey Parnell on March 30, 1929. Act 359 of 1929 was described as follows.

For the purpose of enforcing the motor vehicle laws and other state laws relating to and protecting and properly maintaining the state highway system of this state, there is hereby created a body of State Highway Patrol to be known as the State Road Patrol.

The officers, created by this act were to be known as patrolmen. They were given full police authority by this act, however, they were limited to enforcing the motor vehicle laws, assisting in the collection of gasoline taxes, and identifying and assisting in the prosecution of persons guilty of destroying highway department property. The act did not stipulate the number of patrolmen to be employed or the salaries they were to be paid; but provided that the State Road Patrol shall consist of a chief and as many patrolmen as the Highway Commission may deem necessary. Salaries for both the chief and patrolmen were to be set by the commission. The minimum requirements for becoming a member of the patrol were that, such patrolmen shall be citizens of the United States, residents of the State of Arkansas, and shall have the mental and physical qualifications of privates in the United States Army. The act also stipulated that preference should be given to persons who had served in the World War. In the early 1930’s the State Highway Department was inundated with internal problems and with the advent of the great depression" almost became bankrupt. With still the objective for traffic law enforcement of a uniform statewide nature, act 359 of 1929 was transferred in its entirety to the Arkansas Revenue Department. To initiate the transfer Representative W. R. Bumpers of Franklin County introduced the bill (Act 45 of 1933) to make the transfer and it was signed into law on February 18, 1933. To finalize the transfer, the act stated that all equipment used by the division must also be transferred. Act 45 gave the Governor authority to appoint and advise a Superintendent of the new department, in all matters of state and criminal law, but primarily traffic matters. An interesting point of this bill was that the Superintendent could not be removed by the governor, but only by the commission. In part the new act read:

For the purpose of enforcing the motor vehicle laws, traffic laws and other state laws relating to protecting life and properly maintaining the state highway system, of the state, and to render more effective the apprehension of criminals and the enforcement of law, there is hereby created a State Police Department. The police officers hereinafter provided for shall be known as Arkansas State Rangers Due to conditions in government, the State of Arkansas still had not achieved traffic law enforcement of a uniform statewide nature. These conditions were as much financial as any other, because there were still no explicit funds appropriated for this purpose. The years of the depression were turbulent times for law enforcement in the State of Arkansas. Political activity was as boiling during this time period as it had been at any peacetime period in Arkansas history. During this same time period, the Arkansas Legislature was considering the aspect of local options regarding the prohibition of intoxicating liquor. This appeared to be a condition that both the people and lobby groups were in favor of. Governor Futrell was concerned for the health and well-being of Arkansas residents and could foresee that either local options or lawlessness in liquor traffic might occur. He was reported to have made the statement that he would, under no circumstances, sign into law local-options without also creating a division of state government to control, regulate and supervise all aspects of the activities. It was reported that he would surely veto any local options measures. In 1919 the United States Congress had passed, over the objections of President Woodrow Wilson, what became known as the Volstead Act This federal law prohibited the manufacture or sale of any kind of alcoholic beverages in the entire nation. Most states legislatures, including Arkansas, followed the example of the United States Congress by passing their own version of what became known as bone dry law. Because of the dense forest and heavy wooded areas in Arkansas it became the perfect location to establish an illegal liquor business. For the next few years’ illegal distilleries were established all over the state. Most of the local officials could not, or would not make any attempt to curtail the problem so it quickly became a very lucrative and widespread business for many of the States residents. The problem was compounded by the United States Congress with the Ratification" of the twenty-first amendment to the Constitution, repealing federal prohibition. At that time, other state legislatures immediately began passing laws to permit the legal sale of liquor in their state. As the 1935 legislative session drew near it became obvious that a bill would be passed permitting the sale of liquor in the state of Arkansas also.

CHAPTER 2

ARKANSAS STATE RANGERS

Governor J. M. Futrell recognized that passing a liquor law, coupled with the laxity of many local officials in enforcing the already existing laws would create a chaotic situation for the state. The Governor had previously stated that he would veto any bill to permit the sale of liquor, unless he had an establish law enforcement body to oversee and control it. On March 19, 1935 he received and signed into law act 120 of1935 creating the Arkansas State Police Department.

Image451.JPG

Governor J. M. Futrell 1935

Signing the bill also meant that the Division of the State Revenue Department known, as the Road Patrol would be abolished, and their duties would be assigned to the newly created State Police force. In addition to establishing a State Police Department, Act 120 also created a three-man commission to be appointed by the Governor. The three-man commission would remain in place until 1949, when it would be replaced by a seven-member commission. The original commission in 1935 would be responsible for appointing a Superintendent and an Assistant Superintendent. The Superintendent would then select and appoint police officers that would be known as State Rangers. The act provided that all personnel selected would be appointed along the lines of civil service and could not be removed without just cause. The newly created Rangers were given full police authority but were specifically assigned the responsibility of enforcing the laws of the State of Arkansas against the unlawful manufacturing and sale of intoxicating liquors. The legislature and Governor recognized that running such an agency would have to be funded. On March 11, 1935, the Senate Budget Committee introduced Senate Bill 534. This bill proposed to levy a fifty-cent fee on each driver’s license. The proceeds from the fee would provide the agency a yearly budget of approximately sixty thousand dollars. It must be pointed out that this one driver’s license was valid for any member of a household who was sixteen years old or older. The bill included penalties for driving without a license, provided for revocation of a driver’s license or revocation of the driving privilege of any member of a family and for violation of the traffic laws. In addition to the funding bill, legislators approved Act 132 on March 19, 1935, which added the responsibility of enforcing liquor laws to the new agency. The Act establishing the department also set the number of employees at thirteen. There would be one Superintendent, one Assistant Superintendent, two Captains, two Lieutenants, seven Rangers and one stenographer. The Act also established the following salaries for the remainder of the physical year until July 1, 1935.

Superintendent    $ 900.00

Assistant Superintendent   750.00

2 Captains—$600.00 each    1, 200.00

2. Lieutenants—$525.00 each    1,050.00

7. Rangers—$450.00 each    3,150.00

1. Stenographer   375.00

New cars and motorcycle equipment     5,500.00

Office maintenance   650.00

Office equipment   900.00

Expenses, transportation, meals, gasoline,

Auto and motorcycle repairs, motor oil    4,500.00

Compensation for expenses for special sheriffs

And prosecuting attorneys to be appointed

By circuit judges    2,500.00

Sub Division B set the following salaries and operating expenses for the next physical year ending July