Sebastian County Sheriff’s office working ‘fact finding’ investigation of FSPD officer

When Fort Smith Police Captain Jarrard Copeland spoke Tuesday (Feb. 2) to the Fort Smith Board of Directors about allegations against his character, what he knew but didn’t tell the Board was that the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office is investigating one of the allegations at the request of a circuit judge.

Copeland appeared during the Town Hall portion of Tuesday’s meeting to provide a written statement to the Board to defend himself against an allegation that he perjured himself during an August 2014 hearing before Sebastian County Circuit Judge James Cox.

Copeland told the Board that “it’s been very difficult for us to sit back and watch these accusations fly all over social media, all over the newspapers, all over the TVs, and not say anything. But we chose to take the high road.”

Little Rock attorney Matt Campbell alleges that Copeland lied under oath on Aug. 29, 2014, as part of a hearing related to a whistleblower lawsuit by plaintiffs Don Paul Bales, Rick Entmeier and Wendall Sampson.

Campbell asked Sebastian County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Shue to file charges against Copeland. In his recent request to Shue, Campbell noted that FSPD documents show that Copeland knew Bales, Entmeier and Sampson were suspects in the internal investigation. The fact is important because the status of a suspect in an investigation alters the process – essentially impacts the rights of the officer – by which an officer is treated. In the August hearing before Circuit Judge James Cox, Copeland testified under oath that Campbell’s clients were not suspects in the investigation. After the August 2014 hearing, Cox ruled against the request made by Campbell.

Shue responded by saying Campbell would need ask the Sheriff’s office or the Arkansas State Police to investigate the allegation. Campbell followed up by asking Sebastian County Sheriff Bill Hollenbeck to investigate.

On Jan. 27, Judge Cox, Hollenbeck and Shue met to discuss the matter. Hollenbeck told Talk Business & Politics that Judge Cox asked him to investigate. He said the judge “asked them to review the transcripts and interview those involved” and return a report to the judge who would make a decision.

Hollenbeck said they have talked to Copeland and plan to in the near future talk to Campbell. He said it is the first time the office has had to conduct such an investigation, so he was not sure how much time it would take, but quickly added, “we’re going to take the amount of time we need to get to the facts.” The sheriff also stressed that the work is “a fact-finding investigation” and not a criminal investigation.

Hollenbeck also admitted that investigating another law enforcement officer is “difficult at best,” but the department will be professional in its approach.

“We don’t take our responsibility lightly, so we forge forward, we look for the facts and and let them fall where they fall,” he said.