Partial release expected of file in officer’s death

Academy brooks no hazing, commission’s chief asserts

A portion of the Arkansas State Police file reviewing the death of officer Vincent Parks, who died on his first day at a state run police academy, is expected to be released today.

State officials with Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy initially said Parks, a Jonesboro police officer, had not engaged in physical activity during a day with heat indexes reaching 105 or greater in the region. After scrutiny, officials later changed statements to say some activity had occurred before his death.

Pulaski County Prosecutor Larry Jegley decided last week that no criminal charges would be filed in the case — ultimately making the file open to the public. He cited the medical examiner’s report that ruled the cause of death an accident from three health conditions, including sickle cell disease, triggered by physical exertion and heat stress, hypertensive heart disease and obesity.

In a letter written to Col. Bill Bryant on Dec. 15 and released the next day, Jegley outlined his reasons for not pursuing charges.

“However, the file did contain concerning issues with the culture of the training program at ALETA,” Jegley wrote. “Including Hazing and the lack of helpful cooperation in the investigation. We will not reiterate those concerns here, but would invite a careful inquiry into the practice, procedures, and other problems at ALETA made obvious in the ASP report.”

The Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy is run by the state’s Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training — a division of the Arkansas Department of Public Safety.

The State Police is a separate entity that falls under the Department of Public Safety.

J.R. Hankins, commission director, released a prepared statement Tuesday in response to Jegley’s letter.

“I have reviewed the letter from the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office regarding the tragic death of Officer Vincent Parks at the Central Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy,” Hankins said in his statement. “I appreciate the review by the Prosecutor’s Office and express my sincerest condolences to the Parks family and the Jonesboro Police Department as they continue to mourn a friend and loved one.”

Hankins added that Jegley’s “unfortunate commentary” was made without understanding the nature and purpose of ALETA’s training

program.

“The ALETA Basic Training Program is specifically designed to prepare officers for a successful career in law enforcement,” he wrote. “The rigorous program includes simulated, real-world, scenarios that officers can expect to encounter during their career. ALETA has trained thousands of officers since its creation and does not, and has never, engaged in or condoned hazing in any form.

“However, as the agency responsible for ensuring that officers are prepared for the many challenges that they will face throughout their career, ALETA is committed to providing a strenuous and demanding training program. ALETA is deeply passionate about the health, safety, and success of its students and will continue to provide the highest quality training program to prepare officers for the realities of the law enforcement profession.”

Hankins also said Tuesday that he was waiting for the full investigative file, as well.

Bill Sadler, Arkansas State Police spokesman, previously said the Parks investigative file could be ready early this week.

At about 1 p.m. Wednesday, Katyln Nelson, State Police legal support specialist, said some of the paper files would be first be available by the end of the day today.

“Unfortunately, due to the number of audio files, it will take some time to review each audio file and make the appropriate redactions,” Nelson said in the email. “We hope to have that portion done before the end of next week.”

Nelson said she would email again if more time is needed.

Sadler said Wednesday that the investigative agent and the agent’s supervisor were instructed over the weekend to start moving written and electronic files onto the criminal division’s database.

“What was delivered to Larry Jegley was in paper form with the exception of some files on disc, which depicted video of the recruits in physical training the day Vincent Parks died,” Sadler said.

Sadler said the file was delivered to State Police legal council Wednesday morning.

“Two personnel in that section have began going through those electronic files and making redactions to the interviews for exempt material, date of births, medical information and home addresses of law enforcement officers and any other exemptions under the FOI,” Sadler said. “One of the personnel is going through the video records to see if there is any audio that needs to be redacted, specifically as paramedics began to communicate with Vincent Parks.”

The investigative file also will include interviews with all of the members of the basic law academy course that Parks was in, Sadler said.

“It is my understanding that the interviews, at least in pa

per form, were rather lengthy,” Sadler said.

The review of Parks’ death was changed to a criminal investigation in August after investigators learned of facts “contrary” to the original statements.

The decision also came after the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette attempted to question then-Department of Public Safety Secretary Jami Cook about text messages she sent to Alison Williams, Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s chief of staff, and three other law enforcement officials soon after Parks fell ill.

The texts, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request from the newspaper, stated Parks “fell out” after jogging to and from his car and engaging in four minutes of calisthenics. Hours later Cook authorized the release of the statement that said Parks did not participate in any physical activity. The release was sent through the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards, which oversees officer training in the state. Cook also was director of the commission at the time.

Cook announced her resignation July 22 citing health issues she’d battled since December 2019. While her resignation letter is dated a day after Parks died, officials have said her resignation was in the works prior to Parks’ death.

Less than a month after Parks’ death, Hankins was named the director of the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards by Hutchinson.

In late August, Hankins said there was “some activity” prior to Parks’ death when questioned by the newspaper — the first time a state official talked publicly about the case.

At the time, he said he was unsure of the “extent.”