MARCH 1, 2022
An Arkansas State Trooper will share with two Lonoke police officers the Arkansas Attorney General’s 2021 State Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award.
The award and other statewide awards were presented by Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge during ceremonies today.
State police Corporal Mark Blackerby, 33, of Lonoke County, was recognized for his role in saving a North Carolina kidnapping victim after two Lonoke officers were involved in an exchange of gunfire with the man who had abducted the teenage girl 9 days earlier.
The local officers had stopped the suspect’s vehicle on February 20, 2021 near a Lonoke fast-food restaurant. As the driver exited the vehicle he shot and critically wounded one of the officers prompting the second policeman to return fire. The suspect then fled in the vehicle still holding the kidnapping victim.
State trooper Blackerby later spotted the suspect and pursued the getaway vehicle until the driver lost control and struck an embankment. The kidnapper then took his own life. Corporal Blackerby quickly secured the 14 year old girl who was reunited with her family the next day.
Additionally, during the award ceremony, state troopers from 45 of Arkansas’ 75 counties were recognized and awarded County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. The troopers were among nominees from a pool of other state, county and local law enforcement officers within their respective counties of assignment.
Each of the state troopers was recognized for their individual dedication to law enforcement duties and community involvement in their home counties where they are assigned and serve.
The troopers receiving top County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Awards were:
Arkansas County – ASP Corporal Billy McCradic
Ashley County – ASP Trooper Charles Allen
Baxter County – ASP Special Agent Jackie Stinnett
Bradley County – ASP Senior Corporal Larry McMahan
Calhoun County – ASP Trooper First Class Wade Schanzlin
Chicot County – ASP Trooper Christian Morphis
Clay County – ASP Special Agent Mark Vavak
Cleveland County – ASP Corporal Greg Rowland
Columbia County – ASP Trooper Brian Palmer
Crawford County – ASP Trooper Rafael Guerra
Cross County – ASP Trooper Tanner Hess
Dallas County – ASP Trooper Jimmy Plyler Jr.
Desha County – ASP Senior Corporal Kelvin Fells
Drew County – ASP Corporal Lagarian Cross
Faulkner County – ASP Trooper Tyler Langley
Franklin County – ASP Trooper James Ray
Fulton County – ASP Trooper Jason Long
Greene County – ASP Corporal Todd Harris
Hempstead County – ASP Trooper Trevor Dew
Independence County – ASP Corporal Dustin Carpenter
Izard County – ASP Trooper Remington Lively
Jefferson County – ASP Trooper Shane Caviness
Lafayette County – ASP Trooper First Class David Fielding Jr.
Lawrence County – ASP Corporal Phillip Roark
Lee County – ASP Senior Special Agent Aundrae Mack
Little River County – ASP Trooper Joshua Broughton
Logan County – ASP Corporal Jed Bolyard
Lonoke County – ASP Corporal Mark Blackerby
Madison County – ASP Trooper First Class Ronnie Boyd
Marion County – ASP Corporal Robert Sanford
Miller County – ASP Trooper First Class Dale Young
Mississippi County – ASP Corporal Freddy Ware
Nevada County – ASP Trooper Jacob Price
Newton County – ASP Corporal Jayson Poole
Ouachita County – ASP Trooper Justin Starnes
Perry County – ASP Trooper Brady Nuckels
Phillips County – ASP Special Agent Heath Gurley
Poinsett County – ASP Corporal Scott McLaughlin
Prairie County – ASP Special Agent Rodney Davenport
Pulaski County – ASP Corporal Brandon Love, [tied with] Trooper Dakota Davis, Trooper Korbyn Freeman and Trooper Jeb Little
Randolph County – Trooper First Class Zachary Paschal
Sharp County – ASP Senior Special Agent Wendall Jines
Stone County – ASP Trooper Jonathan Arnold
Union County – ASP Trooper Victor Meza-Toro
Woodruff County – ASP Trooper Jess Burris