Public Safety Summit with County, State and Federal Partners a Highlight

On Monday, Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. announced July will have a focus on several public safety efforts including a summit with federal, state, and county law enforcement leaders, a proposed ordinance to create a Citizens Review Board, and a public forum with Mexican Consul Rodolfo Quilantán-Arenas and Chief of Police Keith Humphrey.

The Public Safety Summit will take place on Wednesday, July 17 from 9am to 2pm at the Centre at University Park, 6401 W. 12th Street. A major focus of the summit will be strengthening partnerships between the Little Rock Police Department (LRPD) and federal law enforcement agencies, including FBI and DEA. LRPD personnel will begin the Summit with a presentation on crime and trends in Little Rock. The morning session is open to the public. After a lunch and roundtable discussion with law enforcement partners about ongoing and future efforts and goals to maintain safety, the Summit will conclude with a press conference at 1:00 p.m.

Mayor Scott will also urge passage of an ordinance to create a Citizens Review Board. This Board will seek to build and maintain public trust between the LRPD and the public. It will 1) review certain investigations to ensure the thoroughness, completeness, accuracy, objectivity, and impartiality of the investigations; 2) provide an independent process for commencing an initial complaint against the LRPD or its officers; and 3) make recommendations on law enforcement policies and practices, as they pertain to case reviews, to assist the LRPD Chief of Police in policy review.

“Creation of a Citizens Review Board will help to build bridges between some communities and police and strengthen others,” Mayor Scott said. We must have a citizen-led body where complaints against police can be heard and investigated. It is vitally important, for the progression of our city, that all levels of City government are accountable, clear, and transparent.”

“The creation of a City of Little Rock Police review board helps confirm our police department’s commitment to following PILLAR #1 of 21st Century Policing: “BUILDING TRUST & LEGITIMACY,” Chief Humphrey said. “Citizens are more likely to obey the law when they believe that those who are enforcing the law have the legitimate authority to do so.” 2

On Saturday, July 20, at Mosaic Church, 6221 Colonel Glenn Road, from 3:30pm to 4:30pm, Mayor Scott and Chief Humphrey will join Consul Quilantán-Arenas for a discussion with the Latinx community.