Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

ASP Introduces Trooper On A Bus Program

A new patrol initiative has been launched by the Arkansas State Police.

This program, according to a release from the ASP, is designed to reduce traffic violations at locations where school buses are loading and/or unloading, and to build rapport between officers and students.

Troopers will be randomly placed on board school buses to observe traffic along bus routes and use portable radios to report violators to other officers. The ASP is working with all school districts in the state on this program.

The "Trooper on a Bus" program was launched in April in two Benton County school districts.

Initial response to the program has been overwhelmingly positive, but ASP commanders stress the patrols will be random and troopers will be placed on buses as personnel is available to do the job without jeopardizing other patrol duties.

"The troopers will be watching for the most common violation, motorists who fail to stop when a bus is loading or unloading students," Maj. Jim Elliott, commander of the ASP patrol division, said. "Giving parents an added sense of security by placing troopers on the buses and opening a line of communication between children and our troopers are two other added benefits of the patrols."

In its first two weeks in Benton County, three violators were ticketed for passing a stopped bus, while two criminal arrests were made involving possession of drugs and outstanding warrants.

ASP commanders around the state have begun contacting local districts to arrange schedules for placing officers on buses. Plans are underway to have the patrols operational in all 12 ASP troops before the end of the school year.