Arkansas State Police fired a trooper last week over accusations that he'd beaten his girlfriend and been dishonest about his past.
Jeffery Cross, 32, was employed by the state police Highway Patrol division in Forrest City when authorities were called to his home in Marvell the evening of Aug. 22. The Phillips County sheriff's office reported finding Cross' girlfriend, Pamela Kirkland, 52, bruised and bleeding from her mouth.
Kirkland, who worked for the Marvell Police Department at the time, told investigators that the 6-foot-3, 230-pound Cross had punched her in the face several times during an argument, according to a sheriff's report.
Deputies found scratches on Cross' body. He reportedly told investigators that Kirkland had tried to punch him and that he struck her in the mouth while trying to push her away.
Both were arrested and charged with third-degree domestic battery.
The state police placed Cross on paid administrative leave, pending an investigation. During that investigation, Cross denied punching his girlfriend but admitted to "placing his hand in her facial area and shoving her," according to agency records.
The investigation also found that police had responded to three previous domestic disturbances involving Cross and Kirkland, and that Cross did not disclose that information, as he was required to, before state police hired him on May 17, 2015.
State police Director Col. Bill Bryant wrote in a letter to Cross on Nov. 15 that Cross had been fired on grounds that he violated the agency's policies on truthfulness and unbecoming conduct.
Cross cannot appeal the firing. He was under an 18-month probationary employment period.
The domestic battery charge against Cross was dropped in October. Court records show the charge against Kirkland was dismissed, as well.
It was unclear whether Kirkland still worked for Marvell police. The department said Tuesday afternoon that a spokesman was not available for comment.
Little Rock police reports show that officers responded to three domestic disturbances involving Cross and Kirkland between November 2012 and January 2015. Officers noted bruises and swelling on Kirkland's neck, chest and face on two of those occasions. She accused Cross, who was an Arkansas Department of Correction employee at the time, of punching and choking her.
No charges were filed in any of those instances.
State police spokesman Bill Sadler said Cross completed a background check before being hired, as all agency employees must do, but the domestic disturbances involving Cross were not found.
"It certainly would've immediately raised a red flag during the hiring process, had that information been discovered," Sadler said.
Metro on 11/23/2016