Little Rock police Assistant Chief Eric Higgins has retired after more than 30 years with the department, police spokesman Lt. Sidney Allen said last week.
Higgins, a 50-year-old Little Rock native, worked in every division of the department, becoming one of its most visible officers through his participation in numerous local crime prevention programs and as former Chief Lawrence Johnson's liaison to the state Legislature. He was twice among the city's final candidates for police chief, losing a bid to Chief Kenton Buckner last year and to former Chief Stuart Thomas in 2005.
His departure comes as the city moves toward new police promotion guidelines that will give the chief input in choosing Higgins' successor. The proposal goes before the Civil Service Commission for a vote Feb. 26.
Commenting on the proposed guidelines, police and city officials said in November and December that they were not expecting vacancies in any of the three assistant chief positions in the near future.
Higgins, who supervised the department's executive bureau, notified the department of his departure in mid-January. He officially retired Jan. 31, beginning a 60-day period in which the vacant position must be filled or eliminated from the department's budget.
Assistant Chief Wayne Bewley of the field services bureau and Assistant Chief Hayward Finks of the investigative and support bureau will share Higgins' former duties, according to Allen.
The city held a retirement ceremony for Higgins at a city directors meeting last week.
"I just want you to know it's been a privilege and a great honor to work for the city this long, to be at the police department," Higgins said. "God has truly blessed me to be here and to work with some great people, and I'm still going to be here in this community and I look forward to what God has in store for me in the next season of my life."
Higgins joined Little Rock police in 1984 through its now-defunct cadet program. He became a sworn officer two years later and went on to serve in the patrol, training, investigation, finance and internal affairs divisions.
In 2000, as a lieutenant, Higgins moved to the communications division and became department spokesman. He was promoted to assistant chief in 2004, and he helped established the Little Rock chapter of Our Kids, also known as the O.K. Program, two years later. The program is a partnership between police, schools, churches and businesses that provides mentors to at-risk black youths.
Higgins is a member of the Pulaski County Juvenile Crime Prevention Committee and Little Rock's Volunteers in Public Schools organization. He is a former president of the Little Rock Black Police Officers Association.
Higgins received 23 commendation letters from civilians in his career, according to City Manager Bruce Moore.
Ward 2 City Director Ken Richardson said at last week's meeting that Higgins' work with youths made him a "tremendous asset" to the city.
"I think the chief had a unique ability to see our young people and address the needs of our young people through different sorts of lenses," he said. "Obviously, there's a policing lens that he has to look at them through, but also there's the youth development and [crime] prevention part of it. ...He's been instrumental in helping us recruit young people and get them out of their gang lifestyle and get them into positive, productive activities. He's going to be well-missed."
Buckner also lauded Higgins' community involvement at the meeting. He recalled visiting several churches to introduce himself after being sworn in as police chief last June. Buckner said he encountered Higgins and his family at Fellowship Missionary Baptist, where they had volunteered as greeters.
Higgins' professional accomplishments were many, but what he did when he wasn't in uniform was "more important, or equally important," Buckner said.
"Because at the end of the day, our titles, our degrees, certificates that we have, those don't mean anything. ...What I think is more important is what you are doing in the eyes of God. And he is an upstanding man. He leads the right kind of way. We're going to miss him," Buckner said.
Higgins is the second Little Rock police veteran of 30 years or more to leave the force this year.
Terry Hastings, who was department spokesman for 18 years, two of them alongside Higgins, stepped down last month. Hastings commanded the department's southwest division the final 2½ years of his career. His retirement becomes official at the end of March.
Metro on 02/16/2015