LITTLE ROCK, AR – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge today hosted the 2021 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year awards and recognition luncheon at the Benton Event Center, where she announced Lonoke Police Officer Cody Carpenter, Lonoke Police Officer Brandon Ray and Arkansas State Police Corporal Mark Blackerby as the Law Enforcement Officers of the Year. Officer Carpenter, Officer Ray and Corporal Blackerby apprehended a suspect accused of kidnapping a girl from North Carolina. Their actions saved the child and safely reunited her with her family.
“The dedication of Officer Carpenter, Officer Ray and Corporal Blackerby saved a young girl from a kidnapper,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “Arkansas is fortunate to have officers who put their lives on the line to protect us. It is an honor to not only recognize Officer Carpenter, Officer Ray and Corporal Blackerby, but also the regional and county winners and to thank the many brave men and women in blue who sacrifice so much to protect our communities.”
On February 20, 2021, the Lonoke Police Department responded to a call to investigate an out-of-state vehicle suspected to be involved in a North Carolina kidnapping. Officer Carpenter and Officer Ray were the first officers on scene and upon contact with the suspect, the suspect fired at Officer Carpenter who was shot multiple times. Officer Ray immediately returned fire and the suspect fled the scene in his vehicle. Officer Ray gave the information of the fleeing suspect over the radio and began life saving aid to Officer Carpenter. Corporal Blackerby heard the radio traffic and observed the vehicle leaving the scene at a high rate of speed. Corporal Blackerby pursued the suspect to a dead end road where the suspect’s vehicle became stuck behind a building. Corporal Blackerby waited for back up before approaching the vehicle. Corporal Blackerby observed the young girl running through a field and, accompanied by his K-9 partner, Corporal Blackerby gave commands for her to stop and come towards him. She was later identified as the missing girl from North Carolina and was safely transported back to her family. The suspect was found in his vehicle with a fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officer Carpenter suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was airlifted to a local hospital for emergency medical care. He has made a full recovery and has returned to full duty.
Officer Carpenter, Officer Ray and Corporal Blackerby were nominated by Lonoke Police Chief Matt Edwards and Arkansas State Police Sergeant Chuck Lewis.
In a statement, Chief Edwards said, “Thanks to the bravery of Officer Cody Carpenter, Officer Brandon Ray, Arkansas State Policer Trooper Mark Blackerby and all assisting agencies, this 14-year-old girl was safely returned to her family in Denton, North Carolina.”
The other Regional Officers of the Year include Harrison Police Department Detective Corporal Ted Schaeffer from the Northwest Region for his work saving a minor from a child predator. There was a tie in the Northeast Region between Arkansas Highway Patrol First Lieutenant Scott Fraley (retired) for being one of the most active Highway Police Officers in his 29 years of drug interdiction enforcement and Arkansas State Police Corporal Freddy Ware for his effort in community policing between youth and law enforcement. In the Southeast Region, Arkansas Department of Corrections Agent Christopher Studdard is honored for his work tracking an inmate who escaped custody. In the Southwest Region, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Wildlife Officer Jake Stanford is recognized for his work saving a child from swift current in the Buffalo River.
Rutledge also presented the Valor Tributes, which is given in honor of members of the law enforcement community who tragically lost their lives while in the line of duty and to COVID-19 in 2021. This year’s tributes were presented to Officer Kevin Apple, Pea Ridge Police Department; Deputy Harry “Andy” Buschmann, Independence County Sheriff’s Office; Officer Christopher Cummins, Bella Vista Police Department; Lieutenant Hasain El-Amin, Arkansas State Hospital Department of Public Safety; Sergeant Rick Entmeier, Fort Smith Police Department; Lieutenant James Guynes, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office; Special Agent Gregory Holland, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Services; Detention Deputy Chris Mayhorn, Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office; Sergeant Chandler Moore, Arkansas Highway Patrol; Deputy James Morgan, Baxter County Sheriff’s Office; Corporal Jeff Neel, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission; Deputy Joshua Pierson, Benton County Sheriff’s Office; Deputy Frank Ramirez, Jr., Independence County Sheriff’s Office; and Sergeant A.C. Simpson, Jr., Drew County Sheriff’s Office.
County Officers of the Year
Arkansas County
Corporal Billy McCradic, Arkansas State Police
Ashley County
Trooper Charles (Ross) Allen, Arkansas State Police
Baxter County
Special Agent Jackie Stinnett, Arkansas State Police
Benton County
Officer John Hearron, Bella Vista Police Department
Boone County
Detective Corporal Ted Schaeffer, Harrison Police Department
Bradley County
Senior Corporal Larry McMahan, Arkansas State Police
Calhoun County
Trooper First Class Wade Schanzlin, Arkansas State Police
Carroll County
Corporal Seth Barber and Deputy Amanda Satter, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office
Chicot County
Trooper Christian Morphis, Arkansas State Police
Clark County
The Late Sergeant James Mayhue, Clark County Sheriff’s Office
Clay County
Special Agent Mark Vavak, Arkansas State Police
Cleburne County
Sergeant Mark Stine, Heber Springs Police Department
Cleveland County
Corporal Greg Rowland, Arkansas State Police
Columbia County
Trooper Brian Palmer, Arkansas State Police
Conway County
Chief Sonny Stover, Morrilton Police Department
Craighead County
Internet Crimes Against Children Division Detectives, Jonesboro Police Department
Crawford County
Trooper Rafael Guerra, Arkansas State Police
Crittenden County
First Lieutenant Scott Fraley, Ret., Arkansas Highway Patrol
Cross County
Trooper Tanner Hess, Arkansas State Police
Dallas County
Trooper Jimmy Plyler Jr., Arkansas State Police
Desha County
Senior Corporal Kelvin Fells, Arkansas State Police
Drew County
Corporal Lagarian Cross, Arkansas State Police
Faulkner County
Trooper Tyler Langley, Arkansas State Police
Franklin County
Trooper James Ray, Arkansas State Police
Fulton County
Trooper Jason Long, Arkansas State Police
Garland County
Deputy Jon Lane, Garland County Sheriff’s Office
Grant County
Officer Layton Bell, Sheridan Police Department
Greene County
Corporal Todd Harris, Arkansas State Police
Hempstead County
Trooper Trevor Dew, Arkansas State Police
Hot Spring County
Major Freddie Otts, Arkansas Department of Community Corrections
Howard County
Officer James Ross, Arkansas Department of Community Corrections
Independence County
Corporal Dustin Carpenter, Arkansas State Police
Izard County
Trooper Remington Lively, Arkansas State Police
Jackson County
Sergeant Corrina Owens, Arkansas Department of Corrections
Jefferson County
Trooper Shane Caviness, Arkansas State Police
Johnson County
Chief David Griggs, Lamar Police Department
Lafayette County
Trooper First Class David Fielding Jr., Arkansas State Police
Lawrence County
Corporal Phillip Roark, Arkansas State Police
Lee County
Senior Special Agent Aundrae Mack, Arkansas State Police
Lincoln County
Officer Hunter Aldridge, Star City Police Department
Little River County
Trooper Joshua Broughton, Arkansas State Police
Logan County
Corporal Jed Bolyard, Arkansas State Police
Lonoke County
Officer Cody Carpenter and Officer Brandon Ray, Lonoke Police Department (tie)
Corporal Mark Blackerby. Arkansas State Police (tie)
Madison County
Trooper First Class Ronnie Boyd, Arkansas State Police
Marion County
Corporal Robert Sanford, Arkansas State Police
Miller County
Trooper First Class Dale Young, Arkansas State Police
Mississippi County
Corporal Freddy Ware, Arkansas State Police
Monroe County
Agent Christopher Studdard, Arkansas Department of Corrections
Montgomery County
Chief Deputy Will Brakefield, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office
Nevada County
Trooper Jacob Price, Arkansas State Police
Newton County
Corporal Jayson Poole, Arkansas State Police
Ouachita County
Trooper Justin Starnes, Arkansas State Police
Perry County
Trooper Brady Nuckels, Arkansas State Police
Phillips County
Special Agent Heath Gurley, Arkansas State Police
Pike County
Deputy James “Jim” Garrett, Pike County Sheriff’s Office
Poinsett County
Corporal Scott McLaughlin, Arkansas State Police
Polk County
Sergeant Jim Smith, Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Pope County
Deputy Louis Hardy, Pope County Sheriff’s Office
Prairie County
Special Agent Rodney Davenport, Arkansas State Police
Pulaski County
Corporal Brandon Love, Arkansas State Police (tie)
Trooper Dakota Davis, Arkansas State Police (tie)
Trooper Korbyn Freeman, Arkansas State Police (tie)
Trooper Jeb Little, Arkansas State Police (tie)
Randolph County
Trooper First Class Zachary Paschal, Arkansas State Police
St. Francis County
Deputy Allan Spencer, St. Francis County Sheriff’s Office
Saline County
Officer Rachelle Kling, Bryant Police Department
Scott County
Chief Wayne Robb, Mansfield Police Department
Searcy County
Deputy Joey Baysinger, Searcy County Sheriff’s Office
Sebastian County
Officer Colby Edwards, Fort Smith Police Department (tie)
Officer Clinton Shown, Fort Smith Police Department (tie)
Sevier County
Wildlife Officer Jake Stanford, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Sharp County
Senior Special Agent Wendall Jines, Arkansas State Police
Stone County
Trooper Jonathan Arnold, Arkansas State Police
Union County
Trooper Victor Meza-Toro, Arkansas State Police
Van Buren County
Officer Terri Hicks, Clinton Police Department
Washington County
Officer Garrett Henry, Tontitown Police Department
White County
Chief William Miller, Pangburn Police Department
Woodruff County
Trooper Jess Burris, Arkansas State Police
Yell County
Chief Rick Padgett, Danville Police Department