On May 20th, Chief Randall Aragon and the Conway Police Department celebrated their success in achieving International Law Enforcment accredidation. Conway joins Ft Smith and Little Rock as one of three municipal police departments in Arkansas which carry the accredidation. The University Police Department at Fayetteville is also accredited.

Lt. Susan Wilson acted as accredidation manager for the process which took four years of hard work by the entire department to achieve. The accredidation requires the agency to meet high standards in 447 different area.

The Commission on Accredidation for Law Enforcement Agencies was formed in 1979 by four major police organizations as a way to promote uniform standards and business practices within the law enforcement community. The benefits of such an accredidation include a stronger defense against law suits, more agency accountability,support from government opfficials and more advocacy within the community.

The Arkansas Region of the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association (NNDDA) held it’s 13th annual regional meeting Feb 28th through March 3rd, 2005. 80 teams from across the state trained in narcotic detection and police service dog (patrol) classes. The teams were certified by the NNDDA in narcotic detection and/or drug detection.

Training for narcotics detection included; high finds, large and small quantity finds, scratch drills, vehicles searches and luggage searches. Trainers were on hand to assist with problem areas.

Police service dog training covered all aspects of patrol work, bite work, outs, recall and handler protection.

The recent incidents of courtroom violence across the country have brought the general public’s attention to a problem that court personeel and law enofrcement officers have been aware of for some time.

The combined detention and courtroom facilities may not only be more desirable from an economic and manpower standpoint, they may be the key to providing a safer environment for all concerned.

Built in 2001 the Columbia County Justice Center is one of a growing number of facilities across the state that house both a jail and a courtroom.

"I couldn’t be more pleased." was the response from Sheriff Calvin Knighton when asked how he felt about having a courtroom located at the detention facility. The courtroom is utilized for criminal and traffic courts, criminal arraignments and civil cases if there is an opening.