New chief of investigations chosen

Attorney General- elect Tim Griffin on Thursday announced that Little Rock interim Police Chief Wayne Bewley will be the incoming chief of investigations for the attorney general’s special investigation division, and Governor-elect Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced four more senior staff members in the governor’s office.

Griffin announced Bewley’s appointment a day after Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said Bewley had accepted another job and would step down as interim police chief Saturday and retire at the end of the year.

Griffin said Bewley will be paid a salary of a $125,000 year in the attorney general’s office.

Bewley joined the Little Rock Police Department in 1986 as a cadet and became an officer in 1988, according to Griffin’s news release.

Griffin, a Little Rock Republican, will be sworn in as the state’s attorney general Jan. 10 and succeed Leslie Rutledge, who has served as attorney general since 2015. Rutledge, a Maumelle Republican, will be sworn in as the state’s lieutenant governor Jan. 10 and assume a post that Griffin has held since 2015.

Sanders, a Little Rock Republican, will succeed Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson and be sworn in Jan. 10.

Sanders announced the following four additional senior staff members in the governor’s office:

• Legislative Director Jamie Barker, who serves in the same capacity in Sanders’ transition office and served as political director on Sanders’ campaign. He has worked on campaigns for U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, Hutchinson and Mike Huckabee’s 2016 presidential campaign. He is a former political director for the Republican Party of Arkansas and a former political consultant with JCD Consulting. He is a son of Rep. Sonia Eubanks Barker, R-Smackover.

• Director of Cabinet Affairs Leslie Fisken, who has served as chief of legislative affairs for the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. She also worked in governmental relations at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and as an education policy adviser to Hutchinson. She is a former member of the Little Rock School Board.

• Director of Boards and Commissions Alex Flemister, who is serving in the same capacity in Sanders’ transition office and served as director of operations for Sanders’ campaign. Before joining the campaign, he served as associate director for the White House Office of Public Liaison under Trump where he was the liaison for the business, veteran and AAPI communities.

• Policy Director Jack Sisson, who currently serves as the policy director in the transition office and served as policy adviser on Sanders’ campaign. He is a public affairs professional and consultant with more than 15 years of experience at the state and federal levels. He has served as health policy adviser to U.S. Sen. John Boozman of Rogers and an aide to then-U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas. He also worked as an adviser to former Gov. Mike Huckabee and U.S. Rep. French Hill of Little Rock.

Sanders spokesman Judd Deere said Thursday the salaries for these four staff members in the governor’s office haven’t been determined yet.

Sanders announced Tuesday the appointment of four other senior staff members. They include Deere as deputy chief of staff, Kelly Eichler as deputy chief of staff, Andrew “Vu” Ritchie as chief legal counsel and Jordon Powell as director of public affairs.