Report: Officer inadequately trained three part-time officers

SPRINGDALE — An Arkansas police captain was suspended for a week without pay after an investigation found that three part-time security officers weren’t fully trained before starting their duties in jails and courts.

An investigation by the Springdale Police Department determined Capt. Ron Hritz violated city policy by allowing the officers to start their duties without proper training, the Northwest Democrat-Gazette reported. He was suspended, in part, for misconduct and incompetency, according to information released under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.

Hritz, who has worked for the department for about 24 years, wasn’t given any other reprimands, according to police spokesman Lt. Jeff Taylor. The investigation report said the part-time officers worked as armed personnel for the police department “in the court security, building security and handling of prisoners during assigned community service.” That included transporting inmates and working in the jail. But investigators said the officers didn’t appear to have training in defensive tactics, baton training, handcuffing techniques or handgun retention when assigned their armed duties.

The officers told investigators that Hritz held a training course last year, but didn’t finish filing paperwork required. They said the course was mostly selftaught. An official with the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training told a police investigator that no records of the required course exist.

Hritz blamed two officers for the missing paperwork, the report said. He said he didn’t know how to submit two forms. But an investigator noted Hritz had access to the forms and information on how to submit them.

Hritz directed questions about his suspension from The Associated Press on Tuesday to the police chief, who didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment.