- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Behind the Badge: Lt. Johnny Smith talks trust

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 00:05:27 +0000

NOTE: This is the fifth in a series profiling officers with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Department of Public Safety.

Shortly after the ��Vlog��ýLR Department of Public Safety reintroduced bicycle patrols in the 2013 fall semester, Lt. Johnny Smith, along with his bike, became a visible presence on and around campus.

Years ago, Smith trained with the International Bicycle Association. Due to this expertise, he was charged with leading the first four officers involved in the bicycle patrol when it was re-established after being dormant for some time.

Because of his visibility, Smith also became a frequent interview subject for reporters who told the story of the new patrol through their media channels.

As Smith explained to reporters, the bicycle patrol is one way the Department of Public Safety maintains a good rapport with the campus family it serves.

Creating a family-like atmosphere is a leadership style that has served Smith well in the nearly 20-year career he has enjoyed at ��Vlog��ýLR. He has risen through the ranks from officer to corporal, then sergeant, and finally lieutenant.

“Most great leaders create an environment where the people they lead are like family,” Smith said. “When people are treated like family, they learn to trust you. If they trust you, they will follow you.”

But if Smith had his way coming out of Mills High School in 1983, he would have followed a different path by landing a track and field scholarship to a college somewhere outside of Arkansas.

According to Smith, in the early 1980s, his high school track meets were thick with recruiters, but an unexpected and severe injury to his groin area during one meet thwarted any plans he had for an athletic scholarship.

“The recruiters disappeared,” he said. “It broke my heart.”

Smith traveled to the home of an aunt in Colorado to continue healing from his injury. He enrolled in a nearby trade school where he honed his skills in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning maintenance.

“I was pretty good at it, too,” Smith said. “I was earning $500 a week back then. For an 18 or 19-year-old at that time, it seemed like a lot of money.”

So how did he end up in law enforcement back home in Arkansas?

“My cousin tricked me,” Smith joked. “He said there would always be a need for law enforcement and that I ought to come back to Arkansas and apply at the Little Rock Police Department with him.”

Of the two, Smith became the one who ultimately completed the eight weeks at the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy. Afterward he was hired by a colleague who was chief of police in Wrightsville.

“And I haven’t looked back,” Smith said with a broad smile on his face.

In 1994, Smith was recruited by one of the founders of the Criminal Justice Institute to work at ��Vlog��ýLR. The CJI was established in 1988 to enhance the proficiency of Arkansas law enforcement professionals.

“I didn’t even realize at the time that ��Vlog��ýLR had a Department of Public Safety,” Smith said with a laugh.

He added, “I am always amazed at those who still don’t realize we exist or what services we provide. We are working hard to turn things around, so people know who we are. The bike patrol is part of that effort. We want people to know we are here for them.”

Smith also said that statistically speaking, the campus is one of the safest in the state. And courses such as active shooter training make ��Vlog��ýLR officers among the most highly trained in the area.

��Vlog��ýLR police officers will go to extreme measures to put the safety of students and employees first – even above their own safety, according to Smith.

“In the same way that a firefighter wouldn’t leave a baby behind if it were left in a burning building, it’s the same way with us in law enforcement,” Smith said. “It’s what we were trained to do.”

Interest in a career in criminal justice? Find out more at ualr.edu/criminaljustice.

Read more articles in the Behind the Badge series.

Behind the Badge: Officer Justin Davison

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 21:10:14 +0000

NOTE: This is the fourth in a series profiling officers with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Office of Public Safety. When Officer Justin Davison completes his Dec. 13 training at Camp Robinson, he will be the first university police officer in the state to serve as a member of the Honor Guard for the Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police. The statewide nonprofit organization asks members of the AACP Honor Guard to travel across the state to the funerals of law enforcement officers to perform military honors. It’s a good fit for Davison, who served more than six years in the Arkansas National Guard as a military police officer and later, in public affairs. He received his honorable discharge from the guard this past September. Davison scored high enough on his military entrance exam to do a number of different jobs. But Davison, at the time a naive 19-year-old, inquired about any assignment that would bring a significant sign-on bonus. It resulted in landing an assignment to train as a military police officer, which completely altered the trajectory of Davison’s life. “I fell in love with it,” Davison said. “The ideals the training instilled in me made me fall in love with that job.” Davison completed all of his basic and military training with the U.S. Army at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He said he was drawn to his assignment during his time there after realizing the benefits of what law enforcement is able to provide for others. “We (law enforcement officers) get a bad rap, sometimes, because there are those who misuse their position as an opportunity to show how powerful they are,” he said. “That’s not what I saw during my training. I saw the ability to help protect people and the opportunity to remove elements from the community that I serve. When I made that connection at Fort Leonard Wood, I decided this was what I wanted to do with my life.” Persistence is something else Davison may have also learned while in the military. After enrolling at ��Vlog��ýLR, ��Vlog��ýLR Detective Sharon Houlette, whom he had known since his youth, helped him get involved in student patrol. Davison eventually worked in an on-campus security position for two years. As soon as he turned 21, he applied for a position as a ��Vlog��ýLR police officer (a person cannot serve in law enforcement in Arkansas until that age), and he was able to begin the position in 2010. “When you find something you want to do, then you don’t give up,” he said. “Since then I’ve been here and loving every minute of it.” Today, Davison is a member of the newly re-established bike patrol and can frequently be seen traversing campus on his 10-speed. He said he wanted to join the bike patrol because of the close interaction with students it provides. “It’s also a great way to stay in shape,” he said, smiling. Davison is now stationed full time at the new substation in Stabler Hall, where he said getting across campus can be done in a matter of minutes. “I like being here in the center of campus,” he said. “Again, partly because it helps us to respond to calls quickly and effectively. But it really does help with increasing our image of being even more accessible to students. It’s important they know we are here to serve them.”

Behind the Badge: Detective Tonya Soule

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 18:02:39 +0000

NOTE: This is the third in a series profiling officers with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Office of Public Safety. As chief investigator for ��Vlog��ýLR’s Department of Public Safety, Det. Tonya Soule’s many duties include being in charge of the property room and evidence room, as well as scouring police reports to resolve them in a timely manner. But it is being able to help affected victims that she most enjoys. “It’s nice to be able to give them comfort,” Soule said, “to let them know we’re working for them and maybe get them restitution.” Soule’s career path has taken a few twists since she took her first job in law enforcement to get “her foot in the door.” She started as a dispatcher in the Perry County Sheriff’s Office in 2005. “I was going to school for radiology,” she said, with a smile. “I thought that was my passion. I took a criminal justice course, and the rest is history.” She went to work for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 2007 and was later hired as a patrol officer at ��Vlog��ýLR in 2010. “I heard a lot of great things about the department here … I knew a lot of the officers, they were good people, and I knew ��Vlog��ýLR had a strong criminal justice department,” said Soule, who is enrolled as a non-traditional student at the university. “I love my professors. They are very knowledgeable, and they try to accommodate my sometimes hectic work schedule,” she said. “It helps that much of it is online.” Soule is also active as president of the Little Rock Aikido Club, a ��Vlog��ýLR registered student organization that focuses on the Japanese martial artform. Aikido emphasizes the dynamics of movement as opposed to purely punching or kicking. She said she hopes to graduate by December 2014, adding that although she feels strongly about her educational pursuits, it is her job that keeps her focused. For example, she is involved in ensuring that evidence and case files are up to standard, as outlined by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Soule hopes the evidence room reflects even more organization and efficiency as she seeks ways to improve operations under her management. Soule’s dedication has not gone unnoticed. The University District Neighborhood Association recently recognized her with the award for the ��Vlog��ýLR Public Safety Officer of the Year. The association annually recognizes one officer from ��Vlog��ýLR and one from the Little Rock Police Department for outstanding service to the district. Bob Adams, ��Vlog��ýLR’s vice chancellor of finance and administration, said he wasn’t surprised at Soule’s selection. “She often takes the initiative to search for better ways of enhancing our public safety programs,” he said, adding that Soule “approaches sensitive issues in a professional manner and brings a keen level of expertise to all her assignments.” But for Soule, the honor was unexpected, especially since she is the first to admit that often law enforcement is not at the top of the list as a person’s favorite agency. “Very rarely does the public hear about the many positives of law enforcement officers and the good work they do,” she said. “I was not expecting the recognition, but to be nominated is an honor in itself.” Soule concluded, “It’s a big deal on the one hand. On the other hand, it is humbling to be recognized for just doing your job.”

Behind the Badge: Officer Jennifer Sibley

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:07:34 +0000

NOTE: This is the second in a series profiling officers with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Department of Public Safety.

Behind the Badge feature

Even though she is a self-described farm girl with a fondness for horses, Crime Prevention Officer Jennifer Sibley said only one thing would have prevented her from accepting a job offer with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Department of Public Safety earlier this year. “I told (��Vlog��ýLR Police Chief) Ed Smith that if I had to say ‘no’ to anyone for any reason, I didn’t want to come here,” Sibley said. “We are all here to serve,” she explained. “We should never have to worry about whose ‘job’ it is if someone needs help of any kind. None of us has a job without these students.” Fortunately, Sibley’s viewpoint dovetails nicely with that of her new boss. Both share their personal cell phone numbers with resident assistants and other campus leaders as a matter of routine, and both are firm supporters of community-based policing, which emphasizes enhanced safety through police and community collaboration. Sibley recently made a move to a centrally located substation housed in Room 105 of Stabler Hall, where she will be stationed full-time and where bike patrol and other officers can check in or take a short break. The move is part of an overall department effort to decentralize university police operations across campus. This university policing strategy makes Sibley and other DPS officers even more accessible, and it seems to be working. “I’ve already had students tell me how safe they feel this year because our officers are more visible,” Sibley said, adding that the goal is to eventually open another substation in residential housing. Sibley points out that 90 percent of crime prevention is heightened awareness and “not placing yourself in a bad situation.” She does her part by leading such campus-based courses as Rape Aggression Defense, as well as Active Shooter Training. The latter is intended to provide survival strategies for a situation that has unfortunately become far too routine at many college campuses. “I have a huge passion for women being able to take care of themselves,” Sibley said. “The same is true for the active shooter training course we offered as part of Campus Safety Week. I want to empower our students… I look at them like they are mine.” “If I’m able to teach something that will make the campus safer, and I fail to do it, then something is really wrong.” Sibley got her start in law enforcement in the Arkansas Delta, first as a prison guard, and eventually, a field sergeant responsible for 132 male inmates. Sibley was in her 40s and needed a job after relocating from Hawaii to southeast Arkansas to be near her mother. She was sent to the required seven-week training and came through with flying colors. “I am an extremely stubborn person,” she said. “There were a lot of days when I asked myself ‘Why am I doing this?’ I always came up with the same answer: ‘Because somebody has to do it.’” After three years with the Arkansas Department of Correction, Sibley accepted other law enforcement job offers in northwest Arkansas and was sent to the required 12-week training course offered through ALETA, the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy. Just weeks before she turned 48, Sibley not only completed ALETA, she finished second in physical training out of a class of 60 officers, the majority of them under 30 years old. Sibley admits she used to be a shy person before working in law enforcement. Along the way, she acquired confidence and overcame many of her fears. “A little fear is a good thing, because it can help heighten your awareness,” she said. “You just can’t ever show it.” Sibley has an arm tattoo with a quote she attributes to Joan of Arc, the folk hero who led the French Army during the Hundred Years’ War. Perhaps it is the best summary of her law enforcement career so far: “I’m not afraid. I was born to do this.”

Behind the Badge: Detective Sharon Houlette

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 00:36:57 +0000

NOTE: This is the second in a series profiling officers with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Department of Public Safety. It might seem inevitable that a trained law enforcement officer would have spent time playing cops and robbers as a child, but for Detective Sharon Houlette of ��Vlog��ýLR’s Department of Public Safety, law enforcement was the furthest thing from her mind when she first came to campus. Houlette, a native of Oklahoma and 20-year veteran of DPS started her career at ��Vlog��ýLR in a very different capacity. “I worked for the bookstore. My background was in retail,” said Houlette. At the time, Houlette was 34 with five young children and providing a path to pay for her children’s future college expenses was foremost on her mind, and she was eager to take advantage of the university’s tuition discount offered to dependents of employees. So when a national chain bought the small bookstore out, Houlette immediately applied for other on-campus positions. Eventually, she was hired by DPS and became one of the first female cadets trained at the Little Rock Police Academy. “I wouldn’t say I was a natural ‘fit’ so much as I was passionate about finishing,” Houlette said, with a steady smile that seemed to belie her determined nature. “But I’m glad I did it. I’ve loved this job ever since,” she said. Although Houlette has spent the majority of her time at DPS in the Criminal Investigative Division, Police Chief Ed Smith recently named her the department’s accreditation manager. For Houlette, this means days spent poring through documentation needed to prepare for the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Houlette said CALEA accreditation will assure the department’s accountability to the community, while holding it to the highest standards. “CALEA is the gold standard of law enforcement,” she said. “It will inspire confidence in our agency and promote professional excellence. I’m honored to be part of this process.” Houlette said the biggest challenge about her position today is learning to do something new and striving to be among the best at it. But as for the rewards of her career in policing? “The rewards come in making a difference in even one person’s life,” she said. “That, and being a good example for my kids.” For more information about ��Vlog��ýLR’s law enforcement, go to the Department of Public Safety.