“Thanks for your Service”
By the time this column prints, Chief Stuart Thomas will have retired from his long career at the Little Rock Police Department.
It is a bittersweet time for the citizens of Little Rock and the men and women that serve on the Little Rock Police Force. His departure ends a career that started with an off the cuff challenge to a young man who did not like the way police were doing things.
His career has not been without controversy, but you can’t do that job the right way without irritating everybody at some point.
As I understand the story, a 21-year-old Stuart Thomas went to the Little Rock Police Department and complained about the way the investigation involving the break in of his car was being handled. When he made it clear that he did not like the way things were being done, an unidentified officer told him that if he thought he could do it better he should step up and be part of the solution. “Step up” is exactly what Thomas did. Now, at the end of a 35 year career, Chief Thomas steps down after serving at all levels of the Little Rock Police Department, including nine years as Chief. That truly is a “made for T.V. movie” kinda story.
I do not recall any contact with the Chief, before he became “Chief.” Since he has been Chief and I have started representing police officers in disciplinary disputes, I have come to know him quite well and had the opportunity to cross examine him many times. What I can tell you about him from that perspective is that he has always been honest when called as a witness and never been anything but professional. Even though I have often disagreed with some of his management decisions surrounding the “foot soldiers” for the LRPD, I can tell you that I have never seen him treat any officer with anything but respect.
I can also tell you that, from being involved in a few hot button police “issues” in the last couple of years, it is clear to me that the job he has held for a decade is not for everybody. It is certainly not for anybody with thin skin. As noted above, it is hard to imagine that any decision he made as Chief didn’t irritate somebody. As with any large organization, there are a number of factions that exist in the LRPD; combine that with 200,000 citizens with their own beliefs about how things should be done, there are always going to be dissenters. However, the Chief has always seemed to have done what he thinks is right and not let himself be swayed by what would be the easy way out politically.
Chief Stuart is an example of someone who “stepped up” and made things better in his community. He dedicated his entire career to the protection of the people of Little Rock, and for that he deserves our undying thanks. Rising from the academy to the top cop position in Little Rock is rare and may not happen again in our lifetime; the Chief is truly one of a kind.
Bill James is a co-founder of the James Law Firm with offices in Little Rock, Conway and Fayetteville, Arkansas. His primary area of practice is criminal defense. He can be contacted at Bill@JamesFirm.com