West Memphis has handed the keys of its police department to one of its own, elevating Major Harvey W. Taylor III to interim chief of the West Memphis Police Department. Mayor Marco McClendon tapped Taylor, a 2008 hire who made major in 2022, to step into the top job effective January 1. The city later posted a public congratulations on its Facebook page on February 6, complete with a shout-out from Crittenden County Sheriff Mike Allen.
Taylor’s Career Inside The Department
Taylor has worked his way through a long list of assignments, including Patrol, Street Crimes, Criminal Investigations, and Narcotics, and he served on the Special Response Team before later leading it, according to the City of West Memphis. His rise up the ladder has been steady: sergeant in 2014, lieutenant in 2019, captain in 2021, and major in 2022. As part of the command staff, he has overseen CID, narcotics, and patrol. City Hall has cast its interim appointment as a way to keep the trains running on time while it evaluates long-term leadership options.
Local Leaders Back The Move
The February 6 Facebook post from the city included a message from Crittenden County Sheriff Mike Allen, who expressed pride in Taylor and a willingness to keep working closely with the West Memphis Police Department, according to the City of West Memphis. Local outlets first flagged the mayor’s pick at the start of the year, when he announced Taylor would serve as interim chief effective January 1, Action News 5 reported.
Continuity At The Top
Mayor McClendon also used the transition to tip his hat to outgoing Chief Robbin A. Campbell Jr., thanking him for his service and crediting him with launching the Community Engagement Division, starting a K-9 unit, and adding bike patrols. Those efforts, the city said, helped push crime down for several years. Assistant Chief Jimbo Presley will stay put and continue to handle administrative responsibilities while Taylor serves as interim, the city noted, signaling that the department’s day-to-day operations are not getting a reset…