LITTLE ROCK FIRE CHIEF ENCOURAGES AND CONDONES ILLEGAL PARKING OF DEPARTMENT VEHICLES FOR LUNCH

A Little Rock Fire Department vehicle was observed parked in a clearly marked 'no parking zone' this week on Towne Oaks Drive, next to the Rodney Parham U.S. Pizza location.

The vehicle's driver side tires had rubber chocks placed behind them and no other emergency vehicles were nearby.

LRFD PARKED ILLEGALLY FOR A LUNCH BREAK

LRFD - WE PARK WHERE WE WANT, WHEN WE WANT

So we sent a Freedom of Information request to LRFS Chief Gregory Summers to find out who or what needed to be rescued. The photos of the illegally parked truck were attached to our request.

We received this response from Chief Summers.

Based on his short and sweet response we deduced that the Search & Rescue guys were chowing down on some pizza and felt that they could park wherever the hell they wanted.  After all they are firemen and don't have to follow the laws, even at lunch.

So we replied back to Chief Summers and asked if they were eating lunch instead of responding to an emergency.  Chief replied that they were indeed having lunch as part of their "public relations" efforts.

Summers affirmation that his firemen were at lunch in his second email received this response from us.

We waited for a response for Chief Summers, but none was forthcoming.

It appears that Summers permits his employees to break the law. That is shameful and is actionable. 

LRFD CHIEF GREGORY SUMMERS

***UPDATE***

After we posted the story, we received another email from Chief Summers.

Smart move Chief Summers. 

MAJORITY OF LITTLE ROCK POLICE OFFICERS DO NOT RESIDE IN LITTLE ROCK

Startling and shocking information about the Little Rock Police Department was reported by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette and the Arkansas Times.  Only 174 or 34% of the 527 LRPD officers actually reside in Little Rock; Of the 160 black officers, 99 or 62% live in the city; Of the 354 white officers, only 75 or 21% live in the city.

LRPD Chief Kenton Bucker has made public statements that his officers choose not to live in Little Rock because of the school systems and crime.

 
The city board of directors has tried twice to pass an ordinance to require police officers to reside in the city.

Pulaski County Circuit Judge Reverend Wendell Griffen speaking at the Little Rock Board of Directors meeting on June 16th referred to LRPD Officers that were not residents of Little Rock as "mercenaries".

 WATCH VIDEO OF JUDGE GRIFFEN'S ADDRESSING THE LRBOD 

 

LITTLE ROCK CHIEF OF POLICE LOOSES GUN

CHIEF BUCKNER PONDERS ABOUT THE LOCATION OF HIS GUN

Little Rock Police Chief Kenton Buckner says he was issued a written reprimand by the city manager after losing his city-issued handgun, a .40-caliber Glock 27.

Buckner says he realized the gun was missing over Memorial Day weekend when he was moving from an apartment where he was living to a home he had purchased in an exclusive neighborhood off Chenal Valley Drive.

The chief says he doesn't know whether the gun was stolen or misplaced but pointed out there were several movers, cable company workers and other strangers in his house during the move.

During an interview Wednesday, Buckner called it a "regrettable moment."

CLICK TO VIEW VIDEO OF INTERVIEW

Buckner says the gun was valued at about $460 -- money the chief says he repaid the department.

Buckner described the gun as a "back-up" weapon that he usually kept "close-by."

"Because I don't know where it is or what happened, I can't be certain of anything", stated a bedraggled Buckner.

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--UPDATE - August 20, 2015--

Authorities arrested two people Wednesday who were found with stolen handguns, one of which the Little Rock Police Department chief reported missing earlier this year.

Officers initially responded to a suspicious vehicle at Shackleford Crossings Shopping Center, 2600 S. Shackleford Road, about 5:20 p.m. Wednesday, according to police.

At the scene, they found 20-year-old Edward Williams and another individual inside a vehicle at the shopping center's parking lot. The driver, Williams, and the other suspect were each holding a handgun in their laps, according to a police report.

A Little Rock police news release included the name of the second suspect, though his name is redacted in the police report, which states it "contains juvenile information."

Police said they also observed Williams in the vehicle counting a "large sum of money," later determined to be $260.

One of the handguns was identified as a police-issued Glock model 27 belonging to Chief Kenton Buckner, who reported his gun missing shortly after Memorial Day weekend this year.

Authorities said they do not believe the Little Rock police weapon was used for any crimes.

The other handgun was identified by police as a Smith and Wesson SW40VE handgun.

Williams and the other suspect are charged with theft by receiving, possessing an instrument of a crime and possession of a schedule VI drug with the intent to deliver.

The second suspect was also charged on multiple warrants for failure to appear.

A search of the vehicle at the scene also revealed narcotics and digital scales, according to the report

Buckner told reporters, "I was glad to see the weapon recovered. It is hit or miss with stolen property. Rarely are you lucky enough to recover your property"..."I have no connection to the men arrested for possession of the weapon. They were not part of any of the workers that I witnessed in my home during my move. I highly doubt we will ever know how they gained possession of the weapon".

That says a lot about the capabilities of the Little Rock Police Department to solve crimes, even one that involves the Chief of Police.

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- UPDATE - November 22, 2015 - 

A man who had Little Rock Police Chief Kenton Buckner's missing pistol when arrested in August was sentenced to two years of probation Thursday without saying how he acquired the .40-caliber Glock.

The sentence imposed on 20-year-old Nathaniel Mitchell Sullivan of Little Rock by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen was based on state sentencing guidelines for a first-time offender with no serious criminal history.

Sullivan pleaded guilty to theft by receiving in October in exchange for prosecutors not making a sentencing recommendation. The charge is a Class D felony that carries a maximum of six years in prison.

Sullivan also was ordered to pay a $500 fine, attend a theft-prevention class and complete 50 hours of community service within the next year.

If he stays out of trouble with the law while he's on probation, he can have his record expunged.

Buckner was invited to Thursday's sentencing hearing but did not attend. The police chief has said he does not know Sullivan and does not know how Sullivan got his weapon.

Buckner reported the weapon missing in June. He told city officials the gun disappeared during a move to a new home over the Memorial Day weekend.

He was subsequently reprimanded for improper or negligent handling of city property. He reimbursed the city the $457.80 cost of the handgun.

He has said he does not think the weapon was stolen.

The firearm was one of two issued to Buckner after he was sworn in as chief in June 2014. It has the shield of the Police Department on its side. The city can petition the court for its return once the criminal proceedings are concluded.

LITTLE ROCK FIREMAN ARRESTED ON PROSTITUTION CHARGE

 

EDWIN HARRIS - FIREFIGHTER, MASSUER & MALE PROSTITUTE?

A firefighter for the city of Little Rock, Edwin Harris, who was working off-duty as a masseur at Asian Massage on Bowman Road was arrested by an undercover female police officer after he made an agreement to engage in sex with her for $40.00.

Harris has been a licensed massage therapist since 2000 and has been employed by the Little Rock Fire Department since August 2012.

Earlier this month officers say a female undercover detective paid for a massage in which she says Harris engaged in sexual contact.

The report says Harris also followed the detective to her car and agreed to have sex with her for 40 bucks, that's when he was arrested.

"It's upsetting when anyone gets arrested for those types of charges but when it's someone held in high regard by the community it hurts that much more," says Lt. Sidney Allen.

Harris was the only person charged at the business with prostitution which is a misdemeanor.

At this point police say the investigation is on going and would not say if there will be other charges.

The Little Rock Fire Chief did not want to talk about the arrest, however we're told Harris is still working at the fire department.

- UPDATE - 

Harris stuck some kind of deal to get the case dropped (a massage and sex with the judge maybe?) and remains employed as a firefighter.