Grimes confirmed as U.S. Marshal for Arkansas’ Western District

Former Sebastian County Sheriff Gary Grimes has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Arkansas. The district includes 34 counties stretching from Texarkana and El Dorado to Fayetteville and Fort Smith.

Grimes’ confirmation was announced Thursday (May 2) the offices of U.S. Sens. John Boozman, R-Ark., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark.

“Gary Grimes has dedicated his career to public safety. I am confident he will continue to serve Arkansas with the same honor and distinction he has demonstrated as a law enforcement officer. I congratulate Gary on his new role as U.S. Marshal,” Boozman said in a statement.

Grimes owns Grimes & Associates, LLC, a law enforcement, security and government affairs consultancy that was founded in 2011. His law enforcement background includes being the liaison to Law Enforcement and Emergency Management for Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe from 2007 to 2011, a law enforcement officer in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, and sheriff of Sebastian County from 1989 to 1999.

“It’s been a long time coming. It’s a long tedious process. But I’m obviously very proud of this. And really, it means a lot to me, because with all the years that I’ve spent in law enforcement, it has led to this,” Grimes told Talk Business & Politics.

According to the Marshals Service, the duties of those in the service include protecting the federal judiciary, apprehending federal fugitives, managing and selling seized assets acquired by criminals through illegal activities, housing and transporting federal prisoners and operating the Witness Security Program.

“The United States Marshals Service occupies a uniquely central position in the federal justice system. It is the enforcement arm of the federal courts and is involved in virtually every federal law enforcement initiative,” according to the Marshals Service.