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A letter from Sheriff Doc Holladay

PCSO is an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of the Citizens of Pulaski County by providing professional law enforcement services through effective, efficient and proactive police service throughout the County.  We are committed to ensuring the operation of an efficient, secure and adequate Regional Detention Facility that serves to support all the law enforcement agencies in the County in our fight against crime and violence, as an effective part of the administration of criminal justice.  We are an organization that understands the statutory responsibilities bestowed upon the Sheriff and are dedicated to meet these responsibilities efficiently and effectively.

During my tenure, I have worked every day to make this organization better than it was the day before.  My administrative staff has more than 180 years of law enforcement experience, most of those in a management or supervisory position.  This expertise has allowed us to quickly recognize the needs of the department, to more efficiently serve the people.  Above all, we recognize our obligations to the citizens of Pulaski County.

The statutory responsibilities of the Sheriff are three-fold:

1. Provide law enforcement services for the citizens of the County
2. Administer the County Jail
3. Perform Judicial Duties (Warrants, Courts, etc.)

The Detention Center

When I took office in January 2007, the Detention Center was operating on a budget to house 880 inmates.  My staff and I were committed to finding bed space for all violent offenders arrested in Pulaski County, and as many of the non-violent felons as possible.  As a result of that commitment, in 2007 the average daily population of the Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility was 945 inmates.  Thus far, through 2008 our daily population has averaged 932 inmates, on a continuing 880-bed budget.  We were able to accomplish our 2007 plan, without having to go back to the Quorum Court to supplement the annual budget.  We are hopeful that we will be as successful in managing the population during 2008.

Management skills by my Detention staff, particularly the control of the food and medical budgets, have allowed us to increase the jail population without a budget increase.  However, I recognize that there is a need for additional jail beds.  Those non-violent felons, particularly, drug dealers, burglars, and thieves need to be incarcerated to deter their repeat behavior.  We know that these type criminals will continue to commit multiple offenses, thereby adversely impacting the over-all crime rate, unless there is incarceration or threat of possible incarceration.

In February, I presented a four-step plan to the Quorum Court, which, upon completion, will bring our available bed space to 1530.  This plan calls for:

1. Completion of repairs to the “old” jail to re-habitate 160 beds (this phase of the plan is in progress);
2. Construction of a 200 bed, warehouse-style, facility to house non-violent felons (this phase is moving forward.  Architectural drawings have been completed and approved by State Jail Standards);
3. Re-open the Work Center for it’s intended purpose, to house 250 misdemeanor inmates; and
4. Construction of a 200 bed brick and mortar housing unit to hold violent felons.

Completion of all phases of this plan will require Quorum Court approval to fund construction and operating costs.  I believe it is imperative that we move forward with this plan.

In furtherance of my intent to ensure the operation of this facility meets the needs of Pulaski County, I have asked the Mayor of Little Rock and the Pulaski County Judge to appoint a representative from each of their offices to review existing practices within the jail, state their agreement or disagreement with these practices and offer arguments for their position.  Third party, independent counsel, has been asked to review the arguments and issue a non-binding written opinion of jail practices.  This review is in process and should be completed in June 2008.  The final report will be made public.

In May 2007, I appointed a 15 person Citizens Jail Committee.  It is appropriate that the public have input of ideas regarding the jail issues in this County.  Therefore, this Committee was chosen to be representative of all areas of the County and represent diversity within the County.  The Committee meets quarterly and is updated as needed on changes made and activities within the jail or within the County government, involving the jail.

We also actively encouraged private citizens and community organizations to tour the facility and see for themselves how this jail is being operated.

Law Enforcement Operations

The Detention Center is just one aspect of the Sheriff’s responsibilities.  Although the Detention Center gets the most attention from the media and the cities within Pulaski County, to the citizens in the 580 square miles of unincorporated area of Pulaski County, law enforcement is the primary concern.  To that end, it has been my focus to improve equipment, address staffing needs, upgrade technology and improve morale, to provide a more effective law enforcement presence in the County.

The County is divided into six patrol precincts, three north of the river and three south of the river.  Staffing is now dependent on the call load, to ensure that response times for service are reduced.  The latest technology available has been installed in each precinct to enhance deputies’ ability to write reports and process information more efficiently, thereby allowing them to spend more time on patrol.

When this administration took office in January 2007, there was a critical need to upgrade the Sheriff’s vehicle fleet.  Vehicles had not been purchased for the three previous years.  The fleet was old and maintenance costs were at a critical level.  In order to upgrade the fleet, I chose to fund the lease-purchase of 48 vehicles, on a three-year contract.  The 1.2 million dollar contract was funded through telephone services of the Detention Center.  What this means is that vehicles are paid for by inmates and their families, through reimbursement from our Detention telephone provider.

In addition, a Uniform Committee was appointed to determine a color scheme for the new vehicles and to select a new design for deputies’ uniforms.  I felt it was necessary that the Sheriff’s Office have its’ own identity.  These changes could be accomplished without additional cost to the taxpayers.  Deputies are provided a clothing allowance annually, and a change in uniform color and style simply means the deputies are spending the money to purchase the new uniform.  There was no increase in the allowance.  The cars were purchased with money set aside for that purpose and were built to meet specifications.

Upon purchase of these vehicles, we began the process of equipping them with computer systems that allow deputies to complete reports “in the field”, rather than having to return to a precinct to complete paperwork.  We have six computers installed and have an additional twelve on order.  We are also in the process of providing tasers to selected Supervisory personnel in the Enforcement Branch and AR-15 rifles to specifically trained deputies and supervisors.  This equipment will allow us to respond more effectively to high intensity critical situations.

In March 2008, the Sheriff’s Office became the only law enforcement agency in the State selected to receive the License Plate Reading System.  The equipment is installed in a police vehicle and allows the officer to identify “wanted” vehicle licenses.  This system will automatically read license plate digits as the officer passes the vehicles.  If a license number has been entered into the system as “wanted”, the reader will automatically alert the officer by audible signal.  This is a program that we will utilize to benefit all law enforcement agencies in the area.

Law enforcement is most effective when administration utilizes all available resources to enhance department personnel, programs and equipment.    To that End, we have hired a Grant Analyst, who is responsible for searching out new programs of equipment that might assist us in doing our jobs more thoroughly.  An example is digital enhancement equipment received from Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program, which allows us to digitally enhance video or photographic evidence taken from crime scenes or discovered as evidence.

Citizen Help

I also understand the importance of reaching out to our most valuable resource, the citizens of Pulaski County.  We have asked private citizens to come join our Reserve Deputy Program, and they have responded.  We now utilize more than 40 of these volunteers who give their time and resources to support the various community efforts, in which we are involved.  They also work in support of patrol, investigations, and detention deputies.  We have asked, and been successful in having private citizens donate equipment, time and money to complete development of a new Sheriff’s Office Pistol Range.  This program, begun by the previous administration, will be completed by Fall 2008.  Private business owners have offered, and I have accepted the use of private helicopters in searches for wanted persons, fleeing suspects or missing persons.  This is a continuing resource.

When I became a member of the Sheriff’s Office, one of the first things I observed was we had no memorial to those deputies who had been killed in the line of duty.  I determined that we would provide a memorial to these men, at no expense to the citizens of the County.  We again reached out to private citizens and business owners and they provided the funding to construct the memorial.  A dedication ceremony was held in July 2007.

We are also in the process of developing a relationship with Xposure Organizations to provide a Junior Police Academy to create positive activities for Pulaski County youth.  I believe our most valuable asset is our children.  We need to do our part as a law enforcement agency to reach them in a positive way, before they become a negative statistic.

I am also in the process of developing a “cold case” squad, by soliciting retired deputies who may have time to give and the expertise to achieve results.  This squad will be in place by the end of the year.

This has been a brief overview of the Sheriff’s Office operation.  There are many other things going on within the organization, but my pledge is that whatever we do will help us to provide better service to you.