Citizen police learn courts
The Citizens Police Academy went to court last Tuesday evening.
Academy attendee Deborah Sandidge was called before Judge Ray Bunch at the new court facility alongside Lancashire Blvd.
Bunch told her she was accused of two counts of excessive baking — both for bringing baked goods during previous academy meetings.
Sandidge stood silently as a handful of chuckles escaped her classmates.
“How do you plead?” he asked. “Guilty,” Sandidge responded. She was given nearly $1,000 in fines and court costs, plus three days in jail.
The mock trial was a quick example of how a courtroom functions, explained Det. Mike Kugler, who is handling the fall academy.
“This is your Bella Vista court,” he said. “Tonight, you will learn all about it.”
Judge Bunch, who has lived in Bella Vista since 1998 and was elected in 2012, introduced himself to the academy and explained that he is one of four district judges in Benton County, and he primarily handles cases out of the northern part of the county — including Bella Vista.
When the new court facility opens in January 2018, he will be hearing cases in it, he said. At this point, tickets written by Bella Vista police will include court dates at the new facility.
Bunch explained he is one of four district judges who rotate for bond hearings. He’s also on the county’s domestic violence team, he said, and he handles DWI court and small claims court.
“I handle all the misdemeanors,” he said.
A misdemeanor, he explained, is an individual crime with a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a maximum fine of $1,000.
Bunch said that his primary goal as a judge is to improve public safety. His background, which includes criminal defense and prosecution, gives him a well-rounded view of the law, he said.
He has standard approaches for certain crimes, he said, with an end goal of convincing the offenders they don’t want to do it again. With speeding, for example, Bunch said he’s inclined to revoke licenses if the limit is broken by a wide-enough margin.
The new court facility, he said, should be a positive step for Bella Vista.
“I’m impressed,” he said from the bench. “And I think it’s something good for Bella Vista.”
Jason Kelley, city staff attorney, came up to address the academy next. Kelley explained that he prosecutes misdemeanors for the city and handles its civil legal needs — though, with some particular projects, he coordinates with outside counsel which provides specialized knowledge and additional manpower.
“I’m not Superman; I can’t do it all,” he said.
He explained court structure to the academy as well. The largest divide, he said, is between state and federal court systems.
“This is the new Bella Vista division of the Benton County District Court,” Kelley said. “This is the first meeting we’ve ever had in this room.”
District courts, he said, are the lowest courts in the nation. Bella Vista’s new facility, he said, is a venue of the Benton County District Court.
A district court, he explained, is a general jurisdiction court that has jurisdiction over a geographical area. Benton County, he said, is its own district, though some districts include multiple counties.
Until next year, Bella Vista cases are heard in Bentonville’s court facility, he said. The move to and the establishment of this facility, he said, was started in part because the rent at Bentonville was increasing and, while there are startup costs, Bella Vista could run its own court at a lower cost.
Moreover, he said, having a single court day each month meant most of Bella Vista’s police would be in court once per month, which has resulted in command staff handling calls. Having a court in town is more convenient for residents, he said, but it also ensures that police are more available to handle public safety concerns.
Bella Vista, he said, sees a fair number of traffic offenses, including drunken driving, as well as home issues like domestic violence. This, he said, is largely because people tend to live in town but work and play out of town.
“When people are in Bella Vista, they’re at home,” he said.
Alcohol and drugs, he said, are common issues, with a significant number of repeat offenders.
A newer problem, he said, is prescription drug abuse, which he estimates constitutes roughly 30 to 40 percent of Bella Vista’s DUI cases — something he simply didn’t see a decade ago.
Currently, he said, the city is planning to continue holding court once per month, though that may change as the caseload increases.
“The dockets are getting huge,” Kelley said. “Everything expands.”
This is largely a symptom of growth in the area, he explained. More people means more things are happening, including criminal activity.
Sandidge, who previously pleaded guilty to two counts of excessive baking, said she appreciated the court session and has enjoyed the academy thus far.
She’s from a law enforcement family, she said, and her father was a judge. Standing before the judge, even in a mock trial, brought back memories, she said.
This is the third time she’s gone through a citizens’ academy, she said, having previously done them in Mississippi and Illinois. Each time she moves, she said, she signs up for these academies to see how local law enforcement handles everything.
One can learn about the city as a whole. The new knowledge doesn’t stop with the police force, she explained.
“But this is the best one I’ve done,” Sandidge said.