Police Chief to retire

After 20 years as a "working chief," Police Chief Tim Ledbetter is hanging up his badge and gun.

Ledbetter announced his intention to city officials at a City Council Committee of the Whole meeting Monday afternoon. He presented a letter earlier that morning stating his intention to retire effective Feb. 1, 2015, to Mayor Jackie Crabtree.

"There comes a date and time for everything in life," Ledbetter said.

"You're not, are you?" Bob Cottingham, councilman, said. "You're going to be a hard one to replace."

The mayor said: "A police officer is a completely different personality ... to be able to deal with the ... from the public ... and he's done it for almost 30 years. That's a long time to put up with it."

Ledbetter, 54, was hired in April 1995 coming to Pea Ridge from Tallequah, Okla. He had worked in Harrison prior to that.

When hired, Ledbetter said: "I know they've been without (a chief) for a while," he said. "I'll probably be more police officer than anything for a while. I have no major changes in mind for a while until I see what is here." (Benton County Daily Record, May 9, 1995)

"The chief figured out he had an opportunity to retire; he decided that's what he wanted to do. He's going to be helping me out," the mayor said. "We got a grant from Rep. Scott for $10,000 to fund security updates for the court, City Hall and Police Department. He will be getting those details on what to get and how ... helping to get those things installed."

Ledbetter will assist the mayor with Community Crisis Management Plan and with the Arkansas Continuity of Operations Plan (ACOOP).

"This will give him time to go talk to the police chiefs at Joplin, Mena, Vilonia ... and learn from them about what are the good and bad things after a crisis," Crabtree said, explaining that he wants to establish a plan for management after a disaster.

"Each city has to have a continuing operations plan," Crabtree said.

Lt. Ryan Walker will manage the day-to-day operations in the Police Department while the mayor decides on a replacement.

"He's done everything there. He was the only man in the department for a while. He's handled everything," Crabtree said of Ledbetter. "He built it up."

Over the past 20 years, the department has grown from two officers to 12 and moved into a new building.

One of the first major changes Ledbetter dealt with was the two-way stop at the south intersection of Arkansas Highways 72 and 94 becoming a four-way stop.

"I bet I stopped 50 cars that day telling people there was a stop sign there," Ledbetter recalled. There were times he was the only police officer on staff, and in the early years, there was an average of two to three officers. Now, there are 12 officers employed and the city is covered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"With the changes in law enforcement I've seen over the last 30 years, I feel like it's time to turn the reins over to the people who have more modern visions," Ledbetter said. "Not only do I feel I have helped build or create a Police Department, I feel that I have built numerous friendships and acquaintances over the years here who will be with me for the rest of my life.

"I still consider Pea Ridge my community. I still have a very soft place in my heart for the people of Pea Ridge," he said. "I want to leave here as happy and concerned as I was when I came here.

"I was happy, yet concerned about the task when I came here. Just like any parent would be seeing his children grow up and leave home after 19 years ... walking away. I still have great expectations for this place."