JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – Arkansas State Police defended its troopers’ conduct after videos of several arrests spread widely on social media.
Col. Mike Hagar, director of the Arkansas State Police, defended the ASP Highway Patrol Division’s conduct. Since January 2023, troopers have made more than 1,026,000 officer-violator contacts, Hagar said. Of these, only 939, or 0.09%, were documented as involving the use of force, according to Hagar. Hagar declined to comment on any specific incident but said ASP personnel and their families have received death threats.
“We will not comment on specific incidents involving use of force with active criminal and civil cases pending. I want to say, however, that any use of force by an ASP Trooper is a regrettable last resort and reviewed carefully,” Hagar said…