A police officer with the Fort Smith Police Department who was still on or had just finished probationary status at the time was given a one week suspension back in August of last year after her third 'official' minor traffic accident involving vehicles belonging to the FSPD.
Officer Lauren Hendricks was issued the one-day suspension by Chief of Police Nathaniel Clark after the August 18 accident in which she "clipped" another patrol car as she was exiting the parking area of the downtown police station just before 1:30 p.m. on that date.
Damage to both vehicles was estimated at $600 total.
An FOI request to the city of Fort Smith produced the records of that incident as well as two others prior to that date.
On November 18, 2017 shortly after she completed her training and was pout on the streets Hendricks was on patrol on South 16th Street when she made contact with a suspect in a vehicle theft. She pulled into a driveway and when she was backing out after the encounter she struck what was described as "large rock" across the street.
The damage was listed as "minor" ($1000) in the accident report, which you can read HERE.
A supplemental follow-up from the city of Fort Smith on Tuesday, Hendricks was required to submit to a random drug test following the incident. You can access that information HERE.
The second "official" accident occurred on February 12, 2018. According to the narrative in the accident report, Hendricks was southbound on Bluff Avenue near South M Street when she encountered a school bus.
She pulled over to allow the bus to pass and struck a blue trash can on the side of the road with the passenger side mirror, which was destroyed and disconnected. The trash can survived the ordeal.
That accident report can be viewed by clicking HERE.
Policy and procedures governing the use of city -owned vehicles can be viewed by clicking HERE.
Cost of repairs in the second incident was estimated at $100 by the investigating officer.
Hendricks received only an oral and a written reprimand for the first two incidents.
The accident report for the third wreck, which occurred on August 18 of last year, can be viewed by clicking HERE.
This file also contains photos of the vehicles involved and the follow-up memo and information on the one-day suspension she received.
The interoffice memo chain on the August incident started on August 18 and on August 27 wa forwarded from Captain Danny Baker to "Professional Standards" with instruction to "Present to the Accident Review Board" with the notation that "routing was not completed in Blue Team. The incident was moved into IA Pro by IA Pro User Darren Phelps."
On August 29, a memo from Captain W. Parker referenced the two earlier accidents and the oral and written reprimands and
On September 20, 2018, Hendricks was notified via memo from Chief of Police Nathaniel Clark of her one-day suspension.
However, according to information furnished to Today in Fort Smith by at least two officers there have been "at least" two other incidents involving Hendricks and police department vehicles.
The two officers, who agreed to speak only with the assurance of anonymity, said Hendricks, and others, have been and continue to receive "preferential" treatment.
"Three accidents?", asked the first officer. "Try at least five. I don't know if she got verbal warnings on the other two or if they just covered them up, but I guess they officially gave you what they officially had to give you."
The other officer was even more blunt.
"Hendricks is one of the chief's favorites among the new hires that are willing to kiss his a***," said the veteran officer. "She was one of his first diversification hires--and she qualifies on two fronts." (He declined to elaborate.)
"She's on the chief's team," said the officer. "Just like his other stoolies and water-toters. I have seen good officers fired or run off for less, especially during probation. She's best buddies with his (Chief Clark's) right-hand man."
"A lot of guys have left because they just couldn't take it anymore," said the officer. "It's a sad, sad situation."
"To serve and protect?...that's about right," said the officer. "Some of us are getting served and others are getting protected."
