Last week, I had the distinct honor and privilege of being sworn in for another four-year term as Mayor of the City of Little Rock. I was grateful for the opportunity to participate in a swearing-in ceremony with members of the Little Rock Board of Directors who were also elected to new terms in November.

During the ceremony at the Robinson Center on New Year’s Day, we pledged to uphold the U.S. and state constitutions and serve the residents of Little Rock to the best of our abilities. None of us take our oaths lightly, and we remain committed to working together as we move our City forward.

It’s fitting that we were sworn in on Jan. 1, a day that signifies new beginnings and resolutions. I’ve made it my resolution and ongoing commitment to move forward together with the Board of Directors to make progress as a City. Little Rock has grown forward over the last four years through an unprecedented global pandemic and array of other challenges. Despite setbacks, we’ve celebrated monumental successes, and we’ve done so together. We recognize that without growing forward together, we can’t grow forward at all.

Therefore, it’s my sincere hope that in this new year we engage in positive discussions and debate with the best interests of our residents at heart. We will strive for effective compromise when we have conflict, and we will always seek to keep the trust and faith of the people of Little Rock.

As I’ve said before, I’m deeply appreciative of the Little Rock voters who elected me to a second term as Mayor. In the past four years, we have worked hard to transform our City and become a beacon of the new South. But as we all know, there is more work to do.

We have more work to do as we focus on our rapid jobs growth, having added more than 8,200 jobs over the last four years – with an additional 300 announced by Little Rock tech firm Apptegy just last week. There’s more work to do to reach our targeted community development goals east of Interstate 30 and south of Interstate 630, and to continue to create quality, affordable housing throughout Little Rock. There’s more work to do to enhance our community schools model, to bolster programs like BUILD Academy and Emprende.

And, there’s more work to be done to improve public safety, our top priority. While overall violence was down in 2022 compared to 2021, our homicide rate indicates we must intensify our comprehensive efforts to take illegal guns off the streets and protect our neighborhoods. I look forward to working with new Chief of Police Heath Helton, the LRPD and others across the community as we move forward with short-term and long-term solutions to make our City safer.

We’re starting 2023 and a new term in office cognizant of the work we must do to continue our growth, while recognizing it takes all of us to do so. I appreciate everyone who attended the swearing-in ceremony last week, and I ask for every resident’s support and prayers as I move into my second term.

It’s my fundamental obligation to serve all of Little Rock, from College Station to Chenal and from Pettaway to Pleasant Valley, and everywhere in-between. I take that obligation seriously and I ask for everyone’s continued help as we grow forward together.
 

New Police Chief Selected

In case you missed it during the hectic holiday season, I was pleased to announce on Dec. 21 the selection of a new Chief of Police, Heath Helton.

Chief Helton had been serving as interim chief, and before that he was an assistant chief of police. It became apparent to me during his service as assistant chief and interim chief that he was the best choice to take over as the 39^th chief of police. He is well respected by law enforcement officers and public safety advocates. Both the Fraternal Order of Police and the Black Police Officers Association supported Chief Helton’s promotion, and representatives of each of those organizations stood beside us as we announced his hiring at a City Hall news conference.

I know Chief Helton’s goals align with my own as we work together to reduce crime and make our neighborhoods safer. He will be responsible for continuing the implementation of 21^st Century policing strategies and utilizing a data-driven approach to crime prevention.

Chief Helton began his LRPD career in 1996. He was promoted to sergeant in 2003, then to lieutenant in 2011 and captain in 2015. He became assistant chief last March.

He and his wife, Carmen, have four children and live in Little Rock.
 

• The Little Rock Board of Directors will meet Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 4 p.m. at the Centre at University Park, 6401 W. 12th St. After that meeting and a session to set the agenda for next week, the Board of Directors will meet in a working session with the Central Arkansas Water Board of Commissioners. All board meetings are livestreamed on the City of Little Rock Facebook and YouTube pages. To view the agenda, click here. 
• The Little Rock Parks and Recreation Master Plan Committee will meet Tuesday, Jan. 10, at City Hall, 500 W. Markham St., Suite 108. The meeting starts at 11:30 a.m. 
• The Little Rock Planning Commission will meet Thursday, Jan. 12, at 4 p.m. at the Centre at University Park. The Planning Commission makes zoning and land use recommendations to the City Board.
• City offices will be closed on Monday, Jan. 16, in observance of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. All sanitation and recycling services will be delayed by one day next week.