House State Agencies and Govt'l Affairs Committee
Video
Transcript
Bills discussed (1)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
HB1157
· 3 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HB1157”
|
Pre-2017 bill |
Machine transcript
May contain errors. Verify important quotations against the official video.
About transcript accuracy
- Source
- Whisper
- Model
- ggml-large-v3-turbo.bin RTX5060
- Processing date
- October 4, 2026
Speaker 1
0:00
House Bill 1157, Representative Westman, are you here in the House? Would you take the end of the table? We're taking up House Bill 1157. You have the floor, sir. Thank you, Mr.
Representative Bruce Westerman
Unverified
0:24
Chairman and members. It's an honor for me to be here today to present my first bill.
You might expect, and maybe I should be a little nervous and uneasy since it is my first bill, but quite to the contrary, I feel pretty much calm and at ease, and I can feel this way because, number one, it's a good bill, and number two, because the state police have my back. So I would like to say thanks to Pam Davidson and Cora Gentry and Major Les Bronze and Colonel Phillips for bringing this issue to my attention and for being here today to answer any questions that you may have.
I would also like to take this time to say thank you to the approximately 950 men and women of the Arkansas State Police who patrol our highways, investigate crimes, respond to our emergencies, protect our children, and truly have the back of all law-abiding Arkansans while they are willing to put their lives on the line for our protection and to maintain order. It is truly an honor to serve as an Arkansas State police officer when you consider that approximately only 1 in 50 applicants end up getting to wear the badge.
I am pleased that we have a governmental agency that is looking for ways to instill more accountability and to raise the bar for their employees so that the state can be better served. is at the agency's request that I submit House Bill 1157 for your consideration that will extend the probationary period for new officer hires from 12 months to 18 months so the agency can ensure that they are putting the best men and women in uniform. By the time an officer goes through the academy and training, the current 12-month probationary period is nearly exhausted.
This will give the state police additional time to observe on-the-job performance before making a permanent hire. Thank you again for your time and I
Representative Tracy Pennartz
Unverified
2:19
this bill. Any questions from the committee? Representative Bernard. Representative Westerman, welcome to this committee. Do I understand that from your testimony that the state police asked you to run this bill?
So what we're really seeing here is that on-the-job training is essentially only six months. How long is the training at the academy? Representative Westerman, are you down there? I'm deferring that question to Colonel Phillips. Colonel
Representative Bruce Westerman
Unverified
2:51
Phillips, would you state your name and who you're with
Speaker 1
2:54
before you start? Colonel William Phillips, I'm the director of
Speaker 10
2:58
the Arkansas State Police. To answer the question.
Representative Tracy Pennartz
Unverified
3:02
Well, we know, Colonel, that it took you three months to learn to shine your shoes. So go ahead. Nice to
Speaker 12
3:10
see you. Thank you. Same. At the present time, we have a 12-month probationary period from the time they hire until they're considered a full-time employee. And out of that probationary period, well, about half of that time is spent in the academy. Okay. So
Speaker 13
3:25
approximately six of the 12 is there. That's
Speaker 12
3:27
about it. And sometimes not that much. Okay. It doesn't give us an opportunity to evaluate the individual as they work by themselves.
So we want to extend that six months. I guess
Representative Tracy Pennartz
Unverified
3:40
So it's really like really a true evaluation period of 12 months, essentially. Yes, ma'am. Once you get them out there on the highway. Yes, ma'am. Okay. Well, I don't have any problem with that, and I appreciate your clarification. Thank you. Representative Cowley. Thank you, Mr. Chair. At
Speaker 6
4:00
the very bottom, you've got a department that's on probation in the area period right now.
Representative Larry Cowling
Unverified
4:07
How many officers do you have right now that would fit into that category? At the
Speaker 12
4:12
present time, we have an academy in progress, and we only have 25 people left in the academy. So they'll not graduate until about the latter part of May, the 1st of June. So we'll have that group of 25. However, I think this bill is written that will
Speaker 16
4:27
not pertain to those people in the academy at this time. Is that correct, Representative? That's correct. Okay. That's correct. Now, I just wondered
Representative Larry Cowling
Unverified
4:35
how many you did have that would be applied to.
Speaker 12
4:38
That's what I was wanting to know. Okay. At the present time, we have
Speaker 25
4:53
none. Representative Kramer? It was me. It was me. I didn't have
Speaker 26
4:59
a question. And I think it's Representative Rogers. Representative Rogers. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Speaker 6
5:04
I move do pass at the appropriate time. You've already been up. You've already got someone ahead of you. But thank you.
Speaker 29
5:11
Representative Wilkins. Colonel, I know exactly the problem you're talking about. and I was just wondering why you settled on 18 months
Speaker 12
5:28
instead of two years. We wanted to be fair about it, and I think that will give us enough time to evaluate. We want your young officers real close. We want the best, and I think that you all will agree with me we need the best out there working. So I appreciate the comments.
Representative Butch Wilkins
Unverified
5:42
Well, I was told by an old colonel of mine one time that we didn't really know what we had to the fourth or fifth year, and I think you would agree with
Speaker 33
5:59
that. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Representative Harper. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Colonel Phillips, my question is this. Is this just something that you see as an overall need, or can you give us an example of some specifics that have led to this? Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 12
6:14
Without calling names, I have seen this where that one will get under the wire on us, and on us and they'll serve that period of time out and then they're after that probationary period over, it's more difficult to get rid of that individual. So I just need that time to do some closer evaluation with our field training officers to see for sure that we've got an officer there that we want to keep on as this Arkansas State Policeman. Thank you, sir. Thank you, ma'am. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Representative Roebuck. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Speaker 33
6:45
Representative Roebuck. Motion at the proper
Speaker 34
6:50
time unless someone is... Representative Cheatham
Speaker 1
6:55
has already asked for that privilege. Representative Cheatham.
Speaker 36
7:01
I defer to Representative Roebuck. Thank
Speaker 37
7:04
you, Representative Cheatham. Move do pass.
Speaker 5
7:15
– we have a question from Representative McLean.
Speaker 41
7:21
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It's always a pleasure to see you, Colonel Phillips. And I just have a quick question. After the six-month educational process and they're going through the training, are the new probationary officers under direct supervision for a period of time? Are they out in cars with more experienced officers? Yes, sir. After they graduate from the academy,
Speaker 12
7:40
they'll be assigned a field training officer to work with them for X number of days or weeks until that field training officer feels like they're ready to go out on their own, and then they sign off on them.
Then they stay under observation with their post sergeant and maybe also another field training officer to observe them as they work alone to see for sure that they're doing what they need to be doing, and they follow their training. Okay. Well, thank
Speaker 41
8:05
you very much, Colonel. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Representative
Representative Larry Cowling
Unverified
8:10
Cowling? Thank you. Colonel, doesn't this also, though, help the individual? If he decides that he goes through this and he
Speaker 43
8:16
decides then that this is not really what he wants to do, then it kind of help him also?
Speaker 12
8:24
Yes, yes, it does, Representative. It gives them an opportunity to, after they get out there on their own and they find out that they're having to work alone, you may see a time that you'll have an individual that said this is not for me I hate to be in the car by myself and work alone so that gives them an opportunity to make their mind up for sure that's what they want
Speaker 1
8:48
to stay in thank you thank you Colonel we have a motion on the floor to do pass motion all in favor of this bill
say aye any opposed congratulations You've passed your first bill. Thank you,
Speaker 47
9:11
Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. Is there any other business for
Speaker 6
9:16
the committee? You got something to say? You're looking like you got
Speaker 1
9:22
something you got to say, son.
If not, we're adjourned until Friday morning at 9 a.m. Thank you.
Agenda
HB1157
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
Speaker 1
Representative Bruce Westerman
Unverified
Speaker 6
Representative Tracy Pennartz
Unverified
Speaker 10
Speaker 12
Speaker 13
Speaker 16
Representative Larry Cowling
Unverified
Speaker 25
Speaker 26
Speaker 29
Representative Butch Wilkins
Unverified
Speaker 33
Speaker 34
Speaker 36
Speaker 37
Speaker 5
Speaker 41
Speaker 43
Speaker 47