Police lodge to vote on chief’s conduct

The Little Rock Fraternal Order of Police initiated a no-confidence vote on Chief of Police Keith Humphrey on Tuesday night.

The resolution contends that Humphrey has failed the community he swore to protect, lodge President Ronnie Morgan said.

“Chief Humphrey should be held to the same, if not higher, standards than any other member of this department,” Morgan said. “It’s time for those with authority to address this situation to act.”

The the organization voted with a quorum of its 539 members to push the vote to the full membership on Tuesday. The vote will be active until next Tuesday night, according to Morgan.

LRPD assistant chiefs Hayward Finks and Alice Fulk among other department members are suing Humphrey for retaliation against them because they testified in court that Mayor Frank Scott Jr. pressured police into rushing an internal investigation that led to the firing of Officer Charles Starks, who fatally shot Bradley Blackshire in February.

Starks was reinstated to the force shortly after judge Tim Fox ruled he should only have been suspended and have his pay cut.

The hearing and deadlines for Finks’ case were pushed back on Tuesday by a Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza, who granted a motion for extension of time by the City of Little Rock and Humphrey to find new legal council because the city attorney’s office recused. The city and Humphrey have until June 9 to find new council, according to the order from the judge, with a response pleading deadline pushed from June 8 to July 9.

The hearing scheduled for May 28 will be rescheduled to July 13.

A similar motion has been filed by the city and Humphrey in Fulk’s case but has not been ruled on yet.