BENTONVILLE -- Residents on Tuesday night voiced their support for resolutions supporting county law enforcement and the Bills of Rights.
Benton County's Committee of the Whole then followed up by passing the resolutions without discussion. The resolutions now will move to the Quorum Court for approval.
The resolutions were the only items on the agenda at the meeting held in the Benton County Fairgrounds auditorium before more than 100 people. Many residents drew applause after they spoke.
Scarlett Basore of Bella Vista urged county justices of the peace to pass both resolutions during a public comment segment. She said her husband is a law enforcement officer and she worries about him every time he leaves home for work. She said passing the resolutions would send a message to the community.
"It's not a resolution," she said. "It's more than that. It's a belief."
Lisa Richards of Bentonville also supported passing both resolutions. She proposed increasing the pay for law enforcement officers instead of defunding the Police Department.
Quinton Hilburn of Bentonville told the justices of the peace that they had a duty to take action on the resolutions. "You have a God-given obligation to the community to vote this in," he said.
Benton County prosecutor Nathan Smith wrote a letter to the Quorum Court in support of local law enforcement officials. Smith also spoke at the meeting.
"To ensure that all our citizens can fully enjoy their God-given rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, we must continue our support of the brave men and women who actually protect these rights," he wrote.
Justice of the Peace Debra Hobbs was the sponsor of the law enforcement resolution first raised at the June Quorum Court meeting. The resolution was tabled until Tuesday night after some wording changes were discussed by a few justices of the peace. The Quorum Court passed an updated resolution with two sections from her original version taken out.
Justices of the Peace Tom Allen and Pat Adams said they were in favor of Hobbs' original resolution but were OK with the changes.
Adams said after the meeting that he was happy to see both resolutions pass.
"It worked out as positive for law enforcement and the citizens of Benton County," Adams said.
The Bill of Rights resolution was sponsored by Justice of the Peace Michelle Chiocco, who told the crowd that she believes in the Bill of Rights with all of her heart.
The resolution grew out of a proposed Second Amendment/Bill of Rights sanctuary ordinance submitted in January by members of the Libertarian Party to the Committee of the Whole.
Chiocco said she approached County Attorney George Spence after February's Quorum Court meeting about a Bill of Rights resolution. She planned to raise the new resolution for discussion in March, but then the pandemic hit.
The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. It spells out Americans' rights in relation to the government, according to the National Archives.