BENTONVILLE -- Sheriff Meyer Gilbert achieved his first goal as Benton County sheriff by naming his command staff Wednesday morning.
Gilbert was named by the Quorum Court last week to replace former Sheriff Kelley Cradduck, who resigned and was placed on six months of probation for instructing some Sheriff's Office employees to lie during an Arkansas State Police investigation.
Shawn Holloway is chief deputy. Holloway is the Republican nominee for sheriff in the November election. Richie Conner, who was chief deputy for Cradduck, was reassigned as a detective in the criminal investigation division.
Robert Bersi is the major over operations. Bersi is a 28-year veteran of the Springdale Police Department who retired in June as a captain. He's new to the sheriff's office.
Jeremy Guyll was promoted to major over administration and the county jail. Guyll was captain over the jail previously. Lynn Hahn, a former major, was reassigned as jail captain.
Harold Gage, who was a major, was reassigned as administration lieutenant. Charles Robbins, who was a lieutenant, was reassigned as a sergeant in narcotics.
Kenny Paul and Adam Howard switched positions. Paul was the captain of the criminal investigation division under Cradduck and Howard was captain of the special operations division. Paul is now captain of special operations and Howard is captain of criminal investigation division.
Capt. Andy Lee is still captain of the patrol division.
Gilbert next will review office policies and procedures and make changes if necessary.
"They will be aware of the policies," Gilbert said of the deputies. "We can't hold them accountable if they are not aware of them. They will be familiar with them and will be held accountable."
Morale at the Sheriff's Office is starting to improve, said Gilbert, who noted the cooperation he has received from the staff.
A family day for deputies and other employees at the Sheriff's Office is in the works in the coming weeks. It's important they get together with their families and enjoy time as a law enforcement family, Gilbert said.
Holloway was a major at the Sheriff's Office, but he resigned after he won the Republican runoff March 22.
"Sheriff Cradduck was here and I felt it was in the best interest of myself and the employees not to be here," Holloway said.
Gilbert asked him to become chief deputy, Holloway said.
"I've been impressed with Sheriff Gilbert," Holloway said. "He's a man of integrity."
Holloway said Gilbert will be his chief deputy if Holloway is elected later this year.
"If he wants to. It will be up to him," Holloway said. "I think he's enjoying being back in law enforcement."
Gilbert has law enforcement experience with the Clarksdale (Miss.) Police Department and the Coahoma County (Miss.) Sheriff's Office.
Glenn Latham, an independent candidate who will face Holloway in November, downplayed Gilbert's hiring of Holloway.
"Mr. Gilbert was supposed to be an outside, calming voice, removing the political tension from the office, and it appears to me he has fully involved himself into the political arena with the re-hiring of Mr. Holloway as his chief deputy," Latham said Wednesday.
Holloway resigned from the Sheriff's Office because he claimed he needed to focus on his campaign, Latham said.
"It's politics at its worst and one more reason why I have dedicated my campaign to removing politics from the Sheriff's Office and return it to serving all the people equally," Latham said.
NW News on 05/05/2016