Skip to main content

LITTLE ROCK CHIEF OF POLICE LOOSES GUN

CHIEF BUCKNER PONDERS ABOUT THE LOCATION OF HIS GUN


Little Rock Police Chief Kenton Buckner says he was issued a written reprimand by the city manager after losing his city-issued handgun, a .40-caliber Glock 27.

Buckner says he realized the gun was missing over Memorial Day weekend when he was moving from an apartment where he was living to a home he had purchased in an exclusive neighborhood off Chenal Valley Drive.




The chief says he doesn't know whether the gun was stolen or misplaced but pointed out there were several movers, cable company workers and other strangers in his house during the move.

During an interview Wednesday, Buckner called it a "regrettable moment."


CLICK TO VIEW VIDEO OF INTERVIEW

Buckner says the gun was valued at about $460 -- money the chief says he repaid the department.

Buckner described the gun as a "back-up" weapon that he usually kept "close-by."

"Because I don't know where it is or what happened, I can't be certain of anything", stated a bedraggled Buckner.



************

--UPDATE - August 20, 2015--


Authorities arrested two people Wednesday who were found with stolen handguns, one of which the Little Rock Police Department chief reported missing earlier this year.

Officers initially responded to a suspicious vehicle at Shackleford Crossings Shopping Center, 2600 S. Shackleford Road, about 5:20 p.m. Wednesday, according to police.

At the scene, they found 20-year-old Edward Williams and another individual inside a vehicle at the shopping center's parking lot. The driver, Williams, and the other suspect were each holding a handgun in their laps, according to a police report.

A Little Rock police news release included the name of the second suspect, though his name is redacted in the police report, which states it "contains juvenile information."

Police said they also observed Williams in the vehicle counting a "large sum of money," later determined to be $260.

One of the handguns was identified as a police-issued Glock model 27 belonging to Chief Kenton Buckner, who reported his gun missing shortly after Memorial Day weekend this year.

Authorities said they do not believe the Little Rock police weapon was used for any crimes.

The other handgun was identified by police as a Smith and Wesson SW40VE handgun.

Williams and the other suspect are charged with theft by receiving, possessing an instrument of a crime and possession of a schedule VI drug with the intent to deliver.

The second suspect was also charged on multiple warrants for failure to appear.

A search of the vehicle at the scene also revealed narcotics and digital scales, according to the report

Buckner told reporters, "I was glad to see the weapon recovered. It is hit or miss with stolen property. Rarely are you lucky enough to recover your property"..."I have no connection to the men arrested for possession of the weapon. They were not part of any of the workers that I witnessed in my home during my move. I highly doubt we will ever know how they gained possession of the weapon".

That says a lot about the capabilities of the Little Rock Police Department to solve crimes, even one that involves the Chief of Police.



**********

- UPDATE - November 22, 2015 - 

A man who had Little Rock Police Chief Kenton Buckner's missing pistol when arrested in August was sentenced to two years of probation Thursday without saying how he acquired the .40-caliber Glock.

The sentence imposed on 20-year-old Nathaniel Mitchell Sullivan of Little Rock by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen was based on state sentencing guidelines for a first-time offender with no serious criminal history.

Sullivan pleaded guilty to theft by receiving in October in exchange for prosecutors not making a sentencing recommendation. The charge is a Class D felony that carries a maximum of six years in prison.

Sullivan also was ordered to pay a $500 fine, attend a theft-prevention class and complete 50 hours of community service within the next year.

If he stays out of trouble with the law while he's on probation, he can have his record expunged.

Buckner was invited to Thursday's sentencing hearing but did not attend. The police chief has said he does not know Sullivan and does not know how Sullivan got his weapon.

Buckner reported the weapon missing in June. He told city officials the gun disappeared during a move to a new home over the Memorial Day weekend.

He was subsequently reprimanded for improper or negligent handling of city property. He reimbursed the city the $457.80 cost of the handgun.

He has said he does not think the weapon was stolen.

The firearm was one of two issued to Buckner after he was sworn in as chief in June 2014. It has the shield of the Police Department on its side. The city can petition the court for its return once the criminal proceedings are concluded.

Popular posts from this blog

Bryant High School teacher accused of sexual misconduct with a student

The Bryant Police Department confirms an on-going investigation of a now former Bryant teacher, Heather Danielle (Hall) Hare. Hare (age 32) has been accused of sexual contact with a student.  Hare was featured on ABC Good Morning America in May 2020 when a course she taught was discontinued during the pandemic. At this point no details of the alleged illegal conduct have been released. Earlier today the school district posted this on a Bryant Schools Facebook page. According to on-line school board records, Hare submitted her resignation effective April 1, 2023.     Hare is married and is a resident of Conway, AR. KATV featured the Hare family in another story on October 31, 2022. Stay tuned for updates. KTHV featured Hare's daughter in several newscasts . ### ***UPDATE 04/06/23*** Bryant PD provided us with their initial report dated March 31, 2023. ***UPDATE 04/07/23*** Sources report that the Bryant High School football player involved in an "entanglement"

ASP Trooper Jacob Haynie caught on his own mobile video recordings using the N-word

On November 21, 2023, after one of those questionable PIT maneuvers (the ASP now calls  Precision Immobilization Technique , or PIT maneuvers, Tactical Vehicle Intervention or TVI) ASP rookie trooper and former Hope Arkansas cop Jacob Haynie was caught on his and other ASP mobile video recordings using profanity and the N-word.   ASP policy prohibits the behavior and words Trooper Haynie uttered. That same policy also prohibits actions and behaviors that reflect unfavorably on the ASP. Haynie's wife works at the Hempstead County Assessors office. Wonder if she uses that language at work too?  ### The full videos can be viewed on many of the YouTube Channels that feature ASP videos.  A follower of one channel identifies Haynie as the one uttering the words. Apparently that individual knows Haynie and might have worked with him at Hope PD. ASP claims no one said the words "climb" or "N***a" and the trooper using the fowl language was actually Tyler Gentry. Ri

Three LRPD cops "relieved of duty" over incident at Club Trois

Sources at LRPD have confirmed a tip we received that three LRPD cops, Brad Stewart, Lee Pitts and Justin Sims have been "relieved of duty" in connection with an incident at Club Trois. The story we were told is that Stewart was working off-duty at Club Trois and dealt with an inebriated female club patron by soaking her with pepper spray.  LRPD General Order  ("G.O.") 303 requires that a cop that uses physical force, non-lethal control and compliance devices, on or off-duty, follow certain procedures. Use of pepper spray is a Level 4 event. Here are the specific procedures. LRPD sources tell us that they are trained to call MEMS after they use pepper spray or a taser on an individual. They are to file an incident report and they file an officer's report or letter form (5600-2) with their immediate supervisor for each use of force incident. Here's an example of an officer letter form.   Not a single procedure was followed in this incident. And to make matter