Earlier this year, I asked a group of community leaders and anti-violence advocates to join the City of Little Rock in its efforts to curb violent crime. This group, known as the H.O.P.E. Advisory Council, spent many months evaluating how the City can improve its approach to crime reduction and establish additional ways to keep our community safe.

H.O.P.E. stands for Holistic Outreach and Prevention in Every neighborhood, and I charged the advisory council to consider how best to serve every single Little Rock neighborhood and resident as it mapped out recommendations and a path forward.
 
Like all of us, H.O.P.E. Advisory Council members understand that effective violence reduction strategies require comprehensive solutions, both in the short term and long term. In the past few months, we’ve re-emphasized targeted patrols and additional policing tools for the Little Rock Police Department, and the Little Rock Board of Directors has allocated $1.5 million to fund new community programs and intervention efforts. These programs supplement the important and ongoing prevention, intervention and treatment efforts already being implemented by the City’s Department of Community Programs.
 
This renewed emphasis on holistic and comprehensive violence reduction is among the factors that have led to an overall reduction in violent crime compared to 2021. And, last week -- for the first time this year -- we saw an overall percentage decrease in total crime, that is, both violent and nonviolent offenses, compared to a year ago.
 
This decrease in overall crime came the same week the H.O.P.E. Council presented its final recommendations to the City Board. The Council’s three subcommittees offered specific and meaningful proposals in three distinct areas: Policy; Neighborhood Safety Programming and Built Environment.
 
The Policy recommendations included a call for a more robust victims’ services response, programs that emphasize the importance of parental support and involvement and more stringent requirements on property owners to maintain the property in safe and habitable conditions. The group also asked the Board to establish the H.O.P.E. Council as a permanent Public Safety Commission. 
 
Neighborhood Safety Programming recommendations were for the establishment of “Opportunity Centers” within at least four Wards that would provide education and GED programs, job placement, youth listening sessions, and conflict resolution services. Youth programming coordinators and social workers would be located at these locations.
 
The Built Environment recommendations included establishment of “one-stop” locations for service providers in targeted areas and creation of farmer’s markets in areas of Little Rock identified as food deserts. The group also recommended a city focus on neighborhoods in need of redevelopment and beautification, specifically in the University and Asher/Colonel Glenn area. Another recommendation was to provide training programs for businesses, especially in under-served neighborhoods.

I appreciated the positive feedback that members of the Board of Directors offered to the H.O.P.E. Council during their presentation. We will now work to move forward with the recommendations as we continue to identify ways to improve public safety and reduce crime.
 
I am grateful to the members of the Council for their willingness to serve the City. Council members are: City Director Ken Richardson; Leta Anthony; Michael Sanders; Pastor Mark DeYmaz; Judge Melanie Martin; Judge Leon Johnson; Kambri Charles; Yolanda Harrison; Dana Dossett; Tim Campbell; Mallory Visser; Pastor Billy Burris; Reggie Swinton; and Shanelle Smith. Christopher Harvey, my Senior Advisor, served as the city staff liaison to the Council.

More information about our comprehensive crime reduction strategy can be found on the City's website.

To view the H.O.P.E. Advisory Council's presentation to the Board, click here.
 

Interim Police Chief to Retire

Little Rock Police Department Interim Chief Wayne Bewley informed me last week of his intention to retire by the end of the year. Chief Bewley had been serving the last several months as interim chief, and this was his second time serving in the interim role over his 36-year career with LRPD. 

Chief Bewley started as a police cadet in 1986 and became a full-time police officer two years later. He was promoted to sergeant in 1994, lieutenant in 1998 and captain in 2001. He was named Assistant Chief of Police in 2012. 

I greatly appreciate Chief Bewley's service to this community and to my administration. I'm disappointed he's leaving LRPD, but I know his next job opportunity is the right decision for him and his family. He brought outstanding leadership skills, credibility and institutional knowledge to his role as Interim Chief. He has always been dedicated to public safety and committed to excellence in law enforcement.
 
He's been a stable leader as LRPD moved to a new headquarters building and launched the first-ever, state-of-the-art Real Time Crime Center.

Chief Bewley said, in announcing his retirement that his role at LRPD "has truly been the dream job of my life and has provided me the opportunity to experience so many things while working with some of the best police officers anywhere in this country. I am forever grateful to the City of Little Rock. With that being said, it is time to move on to the next chapter of my life. ... I would like to share my thanks to all of the men and women of the Little Rock Police Department and promise they will forever remain in my prayers. I would also like to say thanks to Mayor Frank Scott, Jr., Bruce Moore, and the Board of Directors for the continued support they have shown the Little Rock Police Department and me.”

Assistant Chief Heath Helton is now serving in the Interim Police Chief role.

The search for a permanent chief is continuing, with the goal of making an appointment to that position within the next 30 to 60 days.
 

Reminder: Apply for Boards and Commissions

Last week, I told you about the way residents can have a direct, positive impact on their communities -- by volunteering for City boards and commissions. We have more than three dozen boards and commissions that advise me, the City Board of Directors and city staff. There are multiple vacancies on a number of boards and commissions, including the Civil Service Commission and the Planning Commission, among others.

Applicants must be Little Rock residents who are registered to vote, and some appointments are limited to those within a specific profession, organization or ward. Appointments are made by the Mayor and confirmed by the Board of Directors. It's our priority to be inclusive in our selection of appointees and make sure the makeup of boards and commissions reflects Little Rock's diversity.

The City Clerk's Office is accepting applications until Jan. 6, 2023, for upcoming appointments.

To learn more, including additional eligibility requirements for certain appointments, visit the City's website.

Click here for a current list of board and commission vacancies. 

• The Little Rock Board of Directors will meet Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 6 p.m. at the Centre at University Park, 6401 W. 12th St. All board meetings are livestreamed on the City of Little Rock Facebook and YouTube pages. To view the agenda, click here. 
• Mabelvale Middle Community School, one of six community schools in the Little Rock School District, hosts its November "Community Cafe"  for parents, students and community members on Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 5 p.m. Mabelvale Middle is located at 10811 Mabelvale West Road.
• The Little Rock Planning Commission meets Thursday, Dec. 8, at 4 p.m., at the Centre at University Park. The Planning Commission makes zoning and land use recommendations to the City Board.
• GloWild, which features dozens of animal-themed lantern exhibits, continues this week at the Little Rock Zoo. This popular attraction, in its second year, drew thousands of visitors to the Zoo in 2021. GloWild is from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on select nights until Jan. 7. For more information and for tickets, click here.