03.11.2022
Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Deal with | Exhibiting Appreciation to our Regulation Enforcement Officers
Governor Hutchinson’s weekly radio deal with might be present in MP3 format and downloaded HERE.
LITTLE ROCK – The 93rd Normal Meeting wrapped up its fiscal session this week, and in the present day I’d wish to commend legislators for his or her help of legislation enforcement in Arkansas.
The 93rd Normal Meeting was one of the legislation enforcement pleasant classes ever. Legislators voted to fund stipends, pay raises, new positions, and gear. They elevated the reimbursement to county jails for the care of state prisoners and allotted cash for the enlargement of a jail in Calico Rock.
Legislators and leaders of legislation enforcement joined me at a desk within the rotunda as I signed three payments that the Normal Meeting handed with unanimous bipartisan help.
The brand new legal guidelines had been suggestions from a activity drive which I created throughout the nationwide unrest that swept the nation after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in the summertime of 2020.
On the time, protesters across the nation had been burning buildings in cities. Many demanded that cities slash spending on police departments or disband them altogether.
After I launched the duty drive, I said clearly that there can be no discussions of diminishing our help of legislation enforcement. The duty drive’s mission was to search out ways in which the state and cities might help legislation enforcement. I needed to make sure that officers had been as protected on the job as humanly doable. I needed to enhance the connection between law enforcement officials and their communities.
This is the reason I signed into legislation 3 payments that help our law enforcement officials throughout the state. Senate Invoice 103 grants a one-time stipend of $5,000 to full-time licensed metropolis and county legislation enforcement officers and full-time licensed state Division of Corrections probation and parole officers.
The invoice provides a one-time stipend of $2,000 to full-time licensed state troopers and different licensed legislation enforcement officers of the Division of Public Security.
Officers who’re employed by July 1 of this yr, or who’re employed by January 3 of subsequent yr, are eligible for the stipend. The bonus is a present of appreciation for our present officers, and it’s additionally a recruiting software as we search to rent nice officers.
Home Invoice 1026, which grew to become Act 223, will increase the typical annual beginning wage for state troopers from round $42,000 to $54,000. That raises the wage by greater than $11,000. The increase strikes us up within the rankings in surrounding states from seventh for beginning salaries to second.
Act 223 additionally funds salaries for 5 extra forensic staff for the Arkansas Crime Lab to speed up the testing of sexual assault kits, which have to be accomplished inside 60 days of submission.
Act 225 contains cash to fund a jail building challenge at Calico Rock. That is necessary to guarantee area for individuals who are presently backed up in our county jails.
It additionally gives $10 million for physique cameras, bullet-proof vests, and different gear that can enhance security for officers and construct group confidence of their professionalism.
Authorities has no higher accountability than to guarantee public security. We additionally owe it to our law enforcement officials, who threat their lives day by day to maintain us protected and to supply cutting-edge coaching and the very best gear to maintain them on the job and protected from their work.
Our help of legislation enforcement didn’t start with the 93rd Normal Meeting, however we actually put an exclamation level on our help this yr.
CONTACT: Press Store (press@governor.arkansas.gov)
