MINUTES OF COMMISSION MEETING March 8, 2012

The Arkansas State Police Commission met on Thursday, March 8, 2012 at the Arkansas State Police Headquarters, Little Rock, Arkansas.

Commission Chairman Smith called the meeting to order at 10:16 a.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Commissioner Steve Smith, Chairman Commissioner Jane Christenson, Vice-Chairman Commissioner Woody Futrell, Secretary Commissioner Wallace Fowler Commissioner Frank Guinn Commissioner Dr. Lewis Shepherd

MEMBERS ABSENT: Commissioner John Allison

STATE POLICE PERSONNEL ATTENDING: Colonel JR Howard Colonel Tim K’Nuckles Les Braunns Major Cleve Barfield Major J. R. Hankins Lieutenant Shawn Garner Lieutenant Mark Blankenship Captain Henry La Mar Lieutenant Brant Tosh Captain Myron Hall Lieutenant Steve Coppinger Captain Rick Dickinson Lieutenant Lindsey Williams Sergeant Wanda James Gary Glisson Donna Humphries Debbie Kirk Captain Lloyd Franklin Captain Stan Witt Greg Smith Sergeant Matt Miller Lieutenant Wesley Smithee Sergeant Mark Hollingsworth Lieutenant Ron Stayton Corporal Joe Williams Sergeant David Lafferty Lieutenant Barry Saffold Sergeant Jim Moore

OTHERS PRESENT: Meredith Rebsamen, AG’s Office Steve Cook, ASP Foundation Randy Lann, ASP Foundation Michael Krenn, DFA Joe Thielke, ASP Foundation Larry Robinson, Governor’s Office Tracey Horne, ASP Foundation Bob Burns, ASP Foundation

OPENING and PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:

Commissioner Jane Christenson led the pledge of allegiance.

NOTIFICATION OF MEDIA:

The media was notified of this meeting on February 29, 2012.

MINUTES:

Commission Chairman Smith stated the Commission had been mailed the minutes of the February 9, 2012 regular meeting of the Arkansas State Police Commission. Commissioner Fowler made a motion to approve the minutes, Commissioner Christenson seconded the motion and the motion passed.

Donna Humphries asked Commission Chairman Smith to get the minutes of the February 15, 2012 conference call meeting approved which were included in the packets. Commissioner Christenson made a motion to approve the minutes, Commissioner Fowler seconded the motion and the motion passed.

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Commission Chairman Smith recognized the guests in the audience, Michael Krenn from DFA and Meredith Rebsamen from the Attorney General’s Office. He then recognized the members of the ASP Foundation, Larry Robinson from the Governor’s Office, and Retired Captain .

DIVISION REPORTS:

Commission Chairman Smith stated Emma French was not available today, so we would drop down to the Administrative Services Report.

Administrative Services – Captain Stan Witt

Captain Witt presented an oral summary of the written report distributed to the Commission. He reported on the Personnel Action Report which showed during the month of February we had 40 new hires, which were the recruits, 3 civilian new hires, one commission reinstatement, one civilian resignation, 5 commissioned lateral transfers, one civilian and one commissioned retirement, and 14 commissioned voluntary resignations which were recruits.

Captain Witt reported on the Training Section, we officially started the physical assessment testing yesterday and all the SWAT team members went through yesterday. Starting next Monday the 12th, we have scheduled all the remaining incumbents throughout the state to start coming in and hope to have the physical assessment testing completed by mid April.

Captain Witt stated we have had 14 recruits resign from recruit school. We started with 44 and now have 30 in recruit school. Captain Witt gave a breakdown of reasons they have left, one was an alternate, 7 had previous law enforcement experience and 4 had previous military experience. Out of the 14 who have left, 9 stated they were just not physically prepared for the school, 4 left citing personal reasons, and one was injured and had to resign and seek medical attention.

Commissioner Fowler asked if they were surprised with the number of recruits who have left. Captain Witt stated it was a bit surprising, because we felt we had a better core of recruits coming in. After we started seeing the attrition we did this year, we called other state police agencies to see if they were having the same attrition problems this year, and all of them are having the same attrition problems. Everyone agrees this is just the sign of the times. for instance started with 53 and graduated 35 recruits.

Captain Witt stated on the Health Plan, during the month of February our claims were lower by just a little over $40,000 and the Fund Balance is higher by $151,000 for the month. In February 2011 our claims were higher by $12,509.00. Our total medical and pharmacy claims were $607,000 for the month of February, but our fund balance is higher than it was in February 2011. Our total fund balance in February 2012 compared to February 2011 is still higher by a little over $1.1 million.

Commission Chairman Smith asked if he thought the discounts were still working in our favor, and Captain Witt stated the discounts are the very reason our fund balance is higher. Overall increase in 2011 was about $1.6 million for the year. He stated we are still with UMR in 2012 but are going to start working on re-bidding the contract for 2013.

Our minority report still shows us being at 15.1% which is higher than the state average of 14.4% for the Arkansas Workforce. Our recruit school average is still at 23.3%, even though we have had 1 black male and 1 Hispanic male resign.

Commissioner Futrell asked Captain Witt to include in the commission packets next month the Captains’, ’, and Sergeants’ positions that are vacant in the Troops and Companies. Also he would like to know how many personnel are getting ready to retire.

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Commissioner Shepherd asked if we could look at the personnel on the drop list who are getting ready to retire within the next five years.

NEW BUSINESS:

Colonel Howard advised the Commission, Tracy Horne, Executive Director of the ASP Foundation has been working with a company getting a new website online for the ASP Foundation. Tracy Horne stated when he first began, he started looking at things that were needed; he found the need for a new website. Mr. Horne then began working to get a new website up and running and made a presentation on the new website. The one thing lacking was the ability to make contributions online. The ASP Foundation website clearly distinguishes the Foundation from the State Police, but there is a link to the State Police. He stated he wanted the website to be informative, simple to navigate and once the people had finished looking at it, they could go forward and contribute to the Foundation. We are spreading the word what the ASP Foundation is all about and why we are here. Mr. Horne, with the assistance of Jeremy Carter, demonstrated to everyone the new website. Mr. Horne explained the ability of donors to be able to make contributions securely online through a third party, who then sends the donation to a bank account the Foundation has set up. Mr. Horne explained the bottom line for the website was for it to be an informative website for the Foundation. The whole purpose was for it to market the ASP Foundation, and our vision is to raise funds for the State Police.

With the help of the Colonel and the executive committee, I think we have come up with a pretty good website, which can be added to and changes made if needed.

Mr. Horne asked for feedback from everyone.

Colonel Howard complimented Mr. Horne on an excellent website.

Commission Chairman Smith told Mr. Horne to think about listing the Foundation Board Members on the website and Mr. Horne stated he was doing that today.

EXECUTIVE SESSION:

At 10:40 a.m. Commission Chairman Smith announced they would retire into Executive Session to discuss personnel matters. The Open Session resumed at 11:25 a.m. with no action taken.

NEXT MEETING:

The next regular scheduled meeting of the Arkansas State Police Commission will be held on Thursday, April 12, 2012 at 10:00 a.m.

Commissioner Shepherd moved to adjourn and Commissioner Futrell seconded the motion. The motion passed and with no other business to come before the Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 11:27 a.m.

______Commission Chairman

______Commission Secretary