Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

GHS Will Be Protected

By JOHN MILLER

Police protection for Gurdon High School brought people out for Monday night's meeting of the Gurdon City Council.

With the election over and annexation measure failing, there had been rumors the city would no longer allow the Gurdon Police Department to respond to calls at GHS.

City Marshal David Childres asked the council for direction during the meeting, saying the GPD gets requests from the Clark County Sheriff's Office to go to GHS and help or stand by until a deputy can get there, or to be on hand if trouble is expected.

Childres said it was his understanding if the sheriff asked for help, the city officers were deputized and the county would be legally responsible.

He also pointed out officer Chris Harper acted as a watchman at GHS, with the district paying him to be there. According to Childres, all the city was out was the cost of gasoline for a patrol car to get to the school.

He pointed out the CCSO always responds when GPD officers call for help and the county operates the city's radio at night. "If we can't go outside the city limits to help them," he said, "we'll be in trouble."

Councilman David Williams asked if at one time all officers with the GPD weren't also deputized.

Childres said they had been, and had been asked to be so again, but haven't done so as yet. "We need to do it," he said. "It would solve problems, except for people griping. If we get a call, we'll go out there."

Williams agreed people prefer city officers to respond at GHS because they may be more sensitive to the students.

Smith said the GPD has no legal jurisdiction at GHS, with Childres responding unless requested to be there by the sheriff.

The mayor pointed out if the city chose to do away with the police department, adding this won't happen, the county would be legally responsible for providing law enforcement because the city is within the county.

This, he said, is defined by Arkansas statute. "I knew this would come up. I talked with an attorney six or eight months ago about it. I was told the city can't hide behind its tort immunity outside its jurisdiction."

Smith has also been in contact with Eric Hughes, the city attorney, on the matter, but has not received an answer yet. He said whatever the city does, it will have to follow legal procedure so the city can be protected. He added, this may be able to be handled by an ordinance.

Childres said the GPD wouldn't be patrolling outside the city limits, only responding to calls when requested by the CCSO. In fact, he said, they GPD would only work in the area immediately outside the city limits.

A member of the audience said they didn't understand why the police couldn't go to GHS if needed.

Smith said he feels the same way, but it will have to be done legally so as not to jeopardize the city.

Jackie Rhodes suggested the council members talk with their constituents to see what they want to do in the matter.

Smith said if the people complain, the city will be forced to stop sending the GPD to GHS altogether.

Rhodes then suggested getting a committee together and approaching the school board to see if it wants to be annexed into the city.

He asked Williams, who is also on the school board, to approach the other members with the idea of annexing the school into the city for police protection.

He said the city council seems more concerned with the situation than does the school board.

Smith said the school district can sign off a petition for annexation by asking the Clark County Quorum Court to release the property to the city.

Phillip Giles, who will be a new council member as of Jan. 1, 1997, said it appears as though the people in the area want to "have their cake and eat it too," by having police protection without having to pay for it.

The subject of basketball was also broached. Rhodes said he had been in contact with Sheriff Troy Tucker, who informed him the CCSO can't provide an officer to be at all games all the time.

According to Rhodes, Tucker said deputies may have to leave the gym for other calls, unless the district pays for off duty officers.

Smith said if the school wants to hire off duty officers it can, but the district is then responsible for the officer.