LEGISLATIVE PANEL TARGETS INEPT ABC ENFORCMENT DIRECTOR - PROBLEMS OF STATE AND CITY DEALINGS WITH POWER LOUNGE BROUGHT CONCERNS TO FOREFRONT

 

SEN. WILLIAMS QUESTIONS TAINTED ABC ENFORCEMENT DIRECTOR HAMLET'S EFFECTIVNESS

State Senator Eddie Joe Williams, R-Cabot, said there's a lack of communication between police and the Alcoholic Beverage Control agency. He said he's seeking a mandatory notification to replace the current method that allows officers to voluntarily forward reports concerning businesses with liquor licenses.

A legislative panel will review whether Arkansas police departments should be required to report most of their encounters at restaurants, bars and nightclubs to state alcohol regulators.

 

The decision comes after a shooting at Power Ultra Lounge in Little Rock that injured 28 people last month.

Williams said that every time police are called to a private club, their departments should report the incident, within a reasonable amount of time, to Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Little Rock Police Chief Kenton Buckner said he will wait for specifics of the review before commenting on any new policy.

LRPD CHIEF BUCKNER DOES NOT LIKE OTHERS GIVING SUGGESTIONS ABOUT HOW HIS DEPARTMENT FAILS TO DEAL WITH CRIME RELATED PROBLEMS

"I would need to see exactly what's being asked of us, and what the intent and purpose was, before I respond to it," Buckner said.

Like Hamlet, Buckner balks when his leadership is questioned. 

Buckner was offended when the Little Rock Board of Director's recently recommended that he seek assistance from other state and federal agencies to deal with crime and violence in the capital city. And when the Governor subsequently formed a Task Force to deal with crime and violence in Little Rock, Buckner was so infuriated that he skipped the press conference and sent an underling to smile for the cameras. He claimed he was too busy preparing for one of his community meetings.

Boyce Hamlet, tainted Director of ABC Enforcement, said he doesn't see a communication gap between the agency and the Arkansas police departments. But he said changes "might plug some holes."

Hamlet tried to spin the  legislative inquiry into his mismanagement of ABC Enforcement.

"We appreciate any help we can get from the state House or state Senate," Hamlet said.

Readers will recall that Hamlet also tried to spin the Arkansas Ethics Commission's investigation into his violation of Arkansas laws which required him to file disclosure forms within a certain period after being hired and each year.

What Hamlet is trying to cover up is the fact that Arkansas police departments have little or no confidence in him due to his lack of credibility and the Arkansas State Police openly laugh at him due to his being fried from their agency for cheating on an exam and lying multiple times to investigators.

It is a well known fact that the LRPD Vice Squad hates Hamlet and refuse to provide the ABC with reports about alcohol violation issues. And while some of their bad feelings about the ABC might be as a result of their dealings with the ABC Board over violations, they have little use for Hamlet playing at being a law enforcement officer and are concerned about his presence at the ABC with all his baggage.

The legislative panel to review the process was approved last week. The panel will determine whether a change would require a new law or if it could be done through a rule-making process.

Williams said the panel will submit a proposal to a Senate committee. The Legislature's next regular session is expected to be in early 2019.

We hope that this panel takes a look at the ABC's file on the Power Lounge.

What they will find will shock them.

Information in the file reveals that the establishment has been a problem for years, even when it operated as a restaurant. 

The principal owner/manager at that time was John Mathis Lile III, who was later sentenced to prison for embezzlement.  

 

THE RESTAURANT OPERATED AS A CLUB AT NIGHT, WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE CITY AS FAR BACK AS 2014

 

When Lile was convicted of a felony, he became ineligible to hold a permit to sell alcoholic beverages in in his restaurant or to be involved in its operation. Lile turned over the restaurant to Herman Lewis, but Lewis never gave the ABC notice that Lile was no longer with the restaurant and he did not file the required change in manager to get a new permit. Lewis did not tell the ABC about Lile not being involved in the business until Lile had been in prison for a year.

The Little Rock Mayor and other officials did not object to changes or re-issuance of permits even though the establishment owed taxes to the city, county and state and the police were responding to dozens of calls.

ABC Enforcement agents tried to get that dive shut down for several years and tainted ABC Enforcement Director Boyce Hamlet did nothing to support the findings of his agents.

Hamlet forced Agent Chandler to resign or be fired, as he did several other agents that were more qualified to be director that he was.

No doubt Hamlet, being the inexperienced and ignorant fool he is simply had no idea what to do with the information Agent Farmer reported.

 
Hamlet and a couple of his supervising agents emailed each other saving things about agents that led us to post about Hamlet creating a hostile work environment.  That coupled with his getting rid of several experienced and well-liked agents and promoting a couple of agents to supervisory positions that were just a objectionable as he was after he was appointed rubbed law enforcement agencies all over the state the wrong way.

All our posts about Hamlet's lying and covering up his hiring and firing by the ASP to get jobs in law enforcement he would not have been able to obtain if he told the truth did not help either.

It took the mass shooting of 28 individuals to get the ABC to finally take action and shut down the sketchy bar.

It was very telling that Hamlet was not asked to be part of Governor Hutchinson's Task Force.

All the agency heads that were asked to be on it have no use for Hamlet and his lack of credibility and honesty.

How much longer will it take the Governor to realize that as well.  Hamlet's father-in-law is not around to make campaign contributions so it may not be much longer.