Hometown hero enjoys serving as Bryant officer
One patrol corporal for the Bryant Police Department is a hometown boy who wants to help people and keep his community safe.
“I am just an average home town guy, born and raised here,” Patrol Corporal Scott Courtney said.
He grew up in Saline County and graduated from Bryant High School.
He started in law enforcement in his late 20s, 27 years ago after he rode along with a friend who was a sheriff’s deputy.
“I got the bug,” Courtney said, adding he liked the idea of helping people.
He was with the
Saline County Sheriff’s Department for 22 years before joining the Bryant Police Department.
He started with BPD in patrol. After a year, he was promoted to the Criminal Investigation Division. He has been in his current role as patrol corporal for six months.
As a patrol corporal he still goes out on calls, but he also has the responsibility to supervise the officers on his shift. He ensures they are doing what they should and tries to answer any questions they may have.
Before deciding on a life in law enforcement, Courtney earned his degree in business administration from the University of Central Arkansas.
“That’s as far from law enforcement as you can get,” he joked.
When he started with the sheriff’s department he said the county was different. He wanted to help the county.
“I can’t believe how much it has changed,” Courtney said.
He feels his move to Bryant was “a God thing.” He had applied at other agencies, which didn’t work out. He felt God was telling him he belonged at the Bryant department.
Courtney said faith is part of every part of his life. When his schedule allows, he attends church at Midtown.
“I try to live my life as well as I can as a Christian,” he said.
One thing Courtney said he likes about working for the department in the place he grew up is he feels he can make a difference by keeping his community safe.
He likes to help people. He also likes to meet new people.
He really loves when people he does not know come up to him in public, like at a gas station and say to be safe or that the community is thinking of the officers.
“Having the support of the community, I think is what I enjoy the most about his job,” he said.
Courtney is a member of the local Fraternal Order of Police. He enjoys the events they do to give back, including Santa with Badges and when they buy shoes for local children.
He has been married for three years to Ava Brown. He has one son, Dylan Courtney.
He sees himself as just an average guy. He enjoys that he gets to help people.
“(BPD) is a great place to work,” Courtney said.
He loves his chief and he loves his department. He thinks everyone should love who they work for.