Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Sheriff Wingfield has secret plan to help Clark County

Clark Countys new sheriff said Wednesday he has a surprise goal that should help every community in the county to run more efficiently and save money.

Sheriff Ray Wingfield, 67, took over the position as interim sheriff and collector here after the job was vacated by Sheriff Troy Tucker.

He was sworn in on Jan. 6, and will serve as interim Clark County Sheriff and Collector until Dec. 31.

He is not eligible to run for the office of sheriff until after someone else is elected and has served two years.

"It puts me in a unique position to get something done for the people, as I have no political hold on me," Wingfield said. "I plan to share my plan for economic improvement throughout Clark County with all of the mayors personally before releasing it to the public in the next 60 to 90 days.

"I have already shared it with Gurdon Mayor Clayton Franklin and Marshal Don Childres. I figure if all the mayors of the county are for my proposal, not too many will stand against it."

Wingfield said he has always wanted to be a sheriff and figures the next 12 months may get that desire out of his system.

"I have met with all of the staff of the Sheriffs Department here, as well as with those working out of the collectors office," he said.

"I told them, first and foremost, we intend to be one of the friendliest and most helpful departments in the state because we are working for the people of Clark County."

Sheriff Wingfield assured the public he will enforce all of the laws.

"We will run things as efficient as possible because I am very conscious of the budget and financial situation of our county," he said.

"We are working on some internal changes with efficiency and safety in mind. For one thing, we feel the detention center will be a safer facility."

According to Sheriff Wingfield, round-the-clock patrol will continue, as will building checks and trash pick-up along the road side.

Sheriff Wingfield said there are eight patrol deputies and a chief deputy employed by the Clark County Sheriffs Department.

"We also have three criminal investigators," he said. "It is known we have a problem with short staffing. So five Arkadelphia police officers are contracted to help us with criminal investigations. They fill in when they are not on regular city duty."

Collectors payments

Sheriff Wingfield said he wants it known that you can make three payments on real estate and personal taxes at the Clark County Collectors Office "and this should slow down those last minute, long lines that normally occur every October."

"You can make a fourth of your taxes in a payment, then do another fourth and then in October you only have half of what you normally would to come up with," Wingfield said. "We will be announcing the dates that are appropriate for these payments."

The sheriff said tax statements usually go out in late February or early March and should tell the payment schedule then.

Countywide coverage

Sheriff Wingfield said his department will attempt to be just as dedicated to residents living in Gurdon, Okolona, Whelen Springs or Bierne, as deputies are closer to Arkadelphia.

"We intend to continue a countywide effort, with nobody going without service," he said. "And weve already discussed cooperation with Gurdon Marshal Don Childres. That relationship should go well."

Wingfield said he has volunteered to help with the Gurdon School Districts task force to close the Achievement Gap for students with grade problems.

He noted that Sheriffs Deputy David Buck and Sg. Travis Vance live in Gurdon. And Margie Renfro, of Gurdon, works in the Collectors Office.

"Jill Plyler is one of our secretaries," he said. "Sharon Hathcoat of Gurdon is the communications officer for the Sheriffs Office."

Wingfields background

Ray Wingfield has been in law enforcement for 12 years. He has been a chief deputy for three and a half years and was a court bailiff before that.

He is a native of Okolona.

"I retired from the postal service and came back as a part-time deputy in 1996," he said.

Wingfields postal career spanned 25 years, and he was postmaster at Gurdon from 1983 until 1987.

"I took early retirement on Sept. 3, 1992, but I missed the people and so that is what led me back to public service," he said.

Wingfield first entered law enforcement as a part-time communications officer for the Arkadelphia Police Department. Then he went work for Sheriff Tucker in the early 1990s.

"Gurdon has always been good to me," he said. "My wife Hilda is from Gurdon."

Family

Sheriff Wingfield is married to the former Hilda Pruitt, daughter of E.T. "Piggy" and the late Fairy Lou Pruitt of Gurdon.

The couple has four grown daughters; Lisa Turner, wife of the late Rev. Gary Turner of Arkadelphia; Debbie Pongetti of Little Rock; Kathy Francis of Arkadelphia, who is postmaster at Traskwood; and Sandy Clark of Hollywood.

Sandy is postmaster at Donaldson.

The Wingfields have four grandsons and one granddaughter.

Was firefighter

Wingfield retired as a captain of the Arkadelphia Fire Department in 1983. He worked three years as a volunteer firefighter and 17 years full time on the fire department "on my days off from the postal service."

The new sheriff was also a former director of the Clark County Ambulance Service, through then County Judge Randall Mathis.

He is a 1956 graduate of Arkadelphia High School, after attending his first eight years of pubic school at Okolona.

Sheriff Wingfield also attended classes at Henderson State University while advancing his career with the U.S. Postal Service.