Fort Smith Metro News Briefs: Fort Smith police feedback, teacher recognition
Following are news brief items from the Fort Smith metro.
Police Feedback
The Fort Smith Police Department is asking city residents to participate in the department’s effort to complete its file review with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA).
Part of this process is to provide the public with an opportunity to make comments or ask questions related to the CALEA Law Enforcement Accreditation. The online portal was created to make it as easy as possible for the community to provide their feedback to us.
Link here for the page to submit comments and questions for the FSPD review.
“When using this specific portal, please keep all comments/questions related to CALEA Law Enforcement Accreditation,” the department noted in a statement. “This comment portal will help our administration and CALEA obtain valuable information to help better serve our community.”
As of December, the FSPD had 155 sworn officers.
CALEA was created in 1979 by law enforcement executive associations as a credentialing authority. CALEA seals are “are reserved for use by those public safety agencies that have demonstrated compliance with CALEA Standards and have been awarded CALEA Accreditation by the Commission,” according to the organization.
Educator Recognition
The Fort Smith Public Schools Foundation has named three district teachers as second quarter recipients of the Quarterly Employee Recognition Awards. The awards recognize district educators and staff who exemplify the values of leadership, kindness, and excellence in education.
“The Fort Smith Public Schools Foundation is proud to celebrate the incredible individuals who go above and beyond for our students and schools,” said Foundation President David Humphrey. “These award recipients reflect the commitment, compassion, and professionalism that make our district strong.”
Nominations are accepted quarterly from district staff, students, parents, and community members. Following are the second quarter recipients in the three categories.
Ignite Award: Bethany Beshears, first-grade teacher at Cavanaugh Elementary
Kind Counts Award: Trisha Yepez, counselor at Southside High School
Every Day Leader Award: Payton Goins, instructional specialist at Morrison Elementary
The Ignite Award recognizes employees with five or fewer years of service who are igniting passion and purpose within their schools. The Kind Counts Award recognizes employees who lead with kindness and build positive, supportive relationships. The Every Day Leader Award recognizes employees who demonstrate leadership through their daily actions.
Health Certification
Gena Pierce, a registered dietitian at the Baptist Health Nutrition Counseling Center-Fort Smith, had earned the Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) credential.
A CDCES certification requires specialized training in diabetes care and education, focused on helping patients better manage their condition and improve long-term health outcomes.
Pierce provides education on blood sugar monitoring, medications, insulin use and glucose monitoring, while also guiding patients through sustainable lifestyle changes related to nutrition, physical activity and overall wellness. She provides individualized nutrition counseling for diabetes and weight management, heart-healthy eating, gastrointestinal conditions, and other chronic health issues.
She has been a dietitian in Fort Smith for 23 years, and holds a master’s degree in nutritional sciences from the University of Oklahoma.
As an outpatient dietitian, Pierce offers individualized nutrition counseling for diabetes management, weight management, heart-healthy eating, gastrointestinal conditions and other chronic health concerns. Her approach emphasizes practical, personalized strategies that empower patients to make informed choices and build lasting habits.
The nutrition counseling center is located inside Baptist Health-Fort Smith at 1001 Towson Ave.
Mercy Cancer Study
The St. Louis-based Mercy system is participating in a study designed to evaluate the clinical impact of GRAIL’s Galleri® multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test among Medicare beneficiaries.
The three-year REACH study will compare up to 50,000 Medicare beneficiaries who have received care in addition to an annual Galleri test with those who receive care without a Galleri test. Enrollment is focused on recruiting participants who reflect the Medicare population, including those who are traditionally underrepresented in clinical trials.
With age being the most significant risk factor for cancer, Medicare beneficiaries face a critical unmet need for early cancer detection, according to Mercy. Almost 70% of people who died from cancer last year in the U.S. were age 65 and older. More than half of all cancer diagnoses in the U.S. are among Medicare beneficiaries who are at the highest risk for cancer due to age.
Patients who are at least 50 years old and enrolled in Medicare are likely to be eligible for the study. Following is the email address for those interested: [email protected]