LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Little Rock mayor Frank Scott announced the appointment of a new police chief for the city during a police safety press conference on Wednesday.
Mayor Scott shared that interim Chief Heath Helton will be serving as the new police chief for the Little Rock Police Department.
"I'm happy and proud as I stand here today with different members of the city board [to] announce that interim police chief Heath Helton will now be permanent chief Heath Helton," Mayor Scott said.
Helton, who has worked in law enforcement for nearly 30 years, will be taking over the job from former Chief Keith Humphrey who began serving as the department's leader back in April of 2019.
"I am grateful to Mayor Scott for his confidence in asking me to lead the department. I've served for almost three decades here in the city of Little Rock and the Little Rock Police Department," Helton said. "This is an amazing opportunity and I'm blessed to have the support of the mayor, the city board of the directors, community leaders, and most importantly the men and women of the Little Rock Police Department."
According to Mayor Scott, Helton's promotion to chief was favored by other officials, such as the FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) and BPOA (Black Police Officers Association).
"Any time you have the FOP and the BPOA all on one accord, that's a good thing. It's a demonstration of our mission to truly be unified as a city. To truly grow as a city," Mayor Scott said.
The mayor shared that the search for chief was a thorough process, highlighting that despite the endorsements from the FOP and BPOA, the city aimed to carefully go through each of its 38 applicants for police chief.
Helton's promotion puts an end to the months-long vacancy that the Little Rock Police Department saw for permanent chief, following Humphrey's departure in May of 2022.
"He remained loyal to his officers and to this city in the midst of adversity and challenging times," Scott said. "I appreciate his service to Little Rock, and I wish him and his family the best as he transitions to a new chapter."