Law enforcement officers deserve our gratitude

     Loftis

I’ve been meaning to write on this topic for a while now, and a story on the front page of this week’s paper reminded me to finally get around to it.

First, congratulations to Officer Zachary Gray of the Berryville Police Department for being named the 2024 Carroll County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. That’s quite an honor and I’m sure it’s well deserved.

Second, I want to publicly acknowledge all of our local law enforcement agencies. They do one of the most difficult jobs I can think of, and they do it well. I’m grateful for these men and women who are willing to put themselves at risk to keep us all safe.

I’m also grateful to have a positive relationship with our local law enforcement. As a reporter, it’s helpful to me when law enforcement allows me to do my job. This came to mind recently when I got a tip about a traffic stop that turned out to be part of a significant arrest. When I arrived at the scene of the traffic stop, officers were searching a vehicle. When I asked if I could take photos, the officer I spoke with was courteous and friendly in allowing me to do so. One of the officers involved in the search asked me not to photograph him, and I didn’t. My job at a scene like that is to get what I need, stay out of law enforcement’s way and under no circumstances do anything that would jeopardize an investigation.

By the same token, it’s my responsibility to recognize that the scene belongs to law enforcement. When there was a fire recently at the Tyson Foods plant in Berryville, I parked my car a good distance away from the scene, walked up on foot and asked the officers on the perimeter of the scene if I could get closer for some photos. When they told me I couldn’t, I didn’t argue. I understood that they were keeping me back for my safety, and I appreciated that.

As a journalist, my hope is to have a relationship with local law enforcement that is founded on mutual trust and respect. Sometimes, that can be difficult to achieve. I want to publicly thank Berryville Police Chief Robert Bartos, Eureka Springs Police Chief Billy Floyd, Green Forest Police Chief John Bailey and Carroll County Sheriff Daniel Klatt for always being accessible, accommodating and pleasant. It makes my job easier and that it turn makes it easier to keep the public informed about what’s going on in their community.

By the way, I can’t finish this column without acknowledging my two favorite law enforcement officers, Detective Ronnie Loftis of the Sherwood Police Department and Officer Ryan Loftis of the Gentry Police Department. To my sons, and all of their brothers in blue, thank you for what you do for all of us.