Little Rock mayor gets report on police chief

LITTLE ROCK — A decision on discipline for Little Rock Police Chief Keith Humphrey is in the hands of Mayor Frank Scott Jr. now that City Manager Bruce Moore has provided the mayor with the results of a human-resources investigation focused on the police chief.

Moore told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via email Thursday that the human-resources report has been forwarded to the mayor.

It’s unclear if the findings came with a recommendation from Moore regarding disciplinary action. Moore did not say when he provided the mayor with the report.

Last month, Moore confirmed any recommendation or opinion on discipline would go to the mayor for a final determination.

Stephanie Jackson, a mayoral spokeswoman, could not be reached for comment by phone or email by deadline Friday. Humphrey has faced a series of lawsuits and complaints from colleagues in the period since Scott appointed him in 2019 from his previous job as police chief in Norman, Okla.

The findings of the human-resources investigation are the work of Loretta Cochran, an associate professor in Arkansas Tech University’s management and marketing department. She was hired in July 2020 in a part-time, temporary role with the city to investigate a backlog of human-resources reviews.

Her 27-page final report summarizing the investigation into Humphrey along with supporting documents were reportedly transmitted to Moore in July from the desk of the city’s top human-resources official, according to statements made during litigation earlier this year.

The contents of Cochran’s final report are unknown. However, in a recently released email, Cochran commented on another Police Department controversy and expressed sharp criticism of Humphrey and two colleagues.

The decision to terminate then-officer David Mattox, Cochran told Little Rock’s human-resources director on Aug. 9, was “a clear indication of racial discrimination, hostile working conditions, and retaliation by Lt. [Brittany] Gunn, Asst. Chief Crystal [Young-]Haskins, and Chief Keith Humphrey.”

Mattox’s firing would serve to further destabilize the police department and potentially expose the city to increased damages should the former officer decide to litigate the decision, Cochran added.

Several of Humphrey’s opponents have claimed they or their departmental allies faced retaliation related to their comments amid the Civil Service Commission process that followed the Feb. 22, 2019, fatal shooting of Bradley Blackshire by then-officer Charles Starks.

Humphrey, who started in the job less than two months after the shooting occurred, fired Starks for violating police rules related to officers’ use of deadly force when confronted with a moving vehicle.

A Pulaski County Circuit Court judge later reinstated Starks, but the officer ultimately chose to resign last year, citing adverse treatment within the department. The judge’s reinstatement ruling was recently kicked back to the lower court for more review because of a decision by the Arkansas Court of Appeals.

At one point last year, 10 members of the Police Department’s command staff signed a letter that asked city elected officials to take immediate action to resolve the departmental dysfunction they attributed to Humphrey’s leadership.

In the event that Humphrey is suspended or terminated, the human-resources report and related materials would have to be disclosed in response to an Arkansas Freedom of Information Act request.