Three Division of Community Correction officers and one Division of Correction officer were honored Thursday, December 12, 2024 at the Attorney General’s Officer of the Year Awards for exemplary service to the State.
“The dedication and professionalism of our officers is incredible,” said Division of Community Correction Director Jim Cheek. “These officers set an amazing example for theirs peers, and these awards are recognition of them being at the top of their profession. This agency is very proud of them all.”
The Division of Community Correction officers honored include:
- Baxter County Winner: Agent Bobby Hicks
- On July 18, 2023, the Arkansas State Police announced 15-month-old Ora Faye Richardson was missing after being left in the care of her grandmother. According to the Hot Springs Police Department, the child was left in her grandmother’s care at 8 a.m. Tuesday morning by her mother, Cheyanne Lawrence. Police said before Cheyanne Lawrence went to work, she left her daughter with Teresa Ann Lawrence.
Hot Springs police said this is an interference with custody. Cheyanne’s father called her around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday and said Teresa told him she was going to their home in Norfork, Arkansas. - On the evening of July 18, 2023, Community Supervision Agent Bobby Hicks and CSO Jacob May conducted a home visit was conducted at Teresa Lawrence’s listed residence in Norfork. Agent Hicks had received a call from Hot Springs Police Department in regard to Teressa Lawrence interfering with the custody of her grandchild in their city and they were actively searching for her. Agent Hicks went to Lawrence’s reported address and made with Lawrence’s father-in-law who stated that he had not seen or heard from Lawrence for about a week. The residence was searched, and Lawrence was not at the home. Agent Hicks left instructions to have Lawrence contact the Parole/Probation office if he had contact with her.
- On July 19, 2023, Agent Hicks was able to make contact with Teresa Lawrence by telephone and convinced her to turn herself in on her warrants. Lawrence advised that she was on her way home to Norfork and agreed to meet Agent Hicks at the Stone County Jail with the child. At approximately 12:20 pm Teresa Lawrence, along with baby Richardson, turned herself into Agent Hicks at the Stone County Jail.
The Hot Springs Police Department was contacted and were enroute to take Teresa Lawrence back to Hot Springs. The Department of Human Services was contacted and the child returned to her mother.
- On July 18, 2023, the Arkansas State Police announced 15-month-old Ora Faye Richardson was missing after being left in the care of her grandmother. According to the Hot Springs Police Department, the child was left in her grandmother’s care at 8 a.m. Tuesday morning by her mother, Cheyanne Lawrence. Police said before Cheyanne Lawrence went to work, she left her daughter with Teresa Ann Lawrence.
- Cleburne County Winner: SRT Assistant Area Manager Marcus “Levi” Lovin
- Marcus “Levi” Lovin has been employed with the agency since April of 2010. Marcus started his career with the agency as a Probation / Parole Officer after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. During that time, he supervised specialized case loads to include Sex Offenders and Absconders. In 2012 he was approached by members of the United States Marshals Service regarding interest in joining the Eastern Arkansas Fugitive Task Force (EATF). The primary function of the EATF is to serve violent and sexual based warrants within the Eastern District of Arkansas. In January of 2014, the Division of Community Correction founded the Special Response Team (SRT) and Mr. Lovin was placed 2nd in command as the SRT Coordinator. He is the immediate supervisor of 17 other SRT Officers, most of which are tied to other federal partner task forces.
For instance, here are some of the numbers that have been generated from the past year until now by SRT Officers and their respective Task Forces. The SRT has been involved in over 2800 arrests, seizing 446 illegal firearms, 374,721 grams of illegal narcotics to include methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin, and $1,598,125 in seized currencies. Mr. Lovin has played a huge role in the development of each officer he supervises which prepares them for statistics such as these above. Mr. Lovin himself has been involved in the apprehension of 33 homicide suspects, 7 rape / sexual assault suspects, and over 50 firearm offense suspects, not to mention countless absconded probation and parolees with no other violent warrants within the past year. - The following is a report in which Mr. Lovin was contacted by the Van Buren County Sheriff regarding the apprehension of wanted parole absconder Benjamin Gurley. Gurley was also wanted on several other felony warrants. Mr. Lovin was briefed on Gurley’s determination to shoot it out with law enforcement if his capture was imminent.
- On June 21, 2021, I was contacted by the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office regarding help locating and apprehending Benjamin GURLEY (PID# 0096619) due to his outstanding warrants for Simultaneous Possession of Drugs/Firearms along with his Arkansas Parole Board Abscond Warrant. It was also well known by the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office that GURLEY was actively making threats regarding shootouts with law enforcement if they attempted to apprehend him. On the morning of July 13, 2021, information was received that GURLEY could possibly be residing at 3615 Chandler St / North Little Rock, AR. Surveillance of the above address was conducted. While watching the residence, a white passenger car arrived at the residence. The vehicle was occupied 2 times and the driver was seen putting something in the trunk of the vehicle. When the vehicle left the above address, it was followed for a distance and pulled over for a traffic infraction. Upon contact with the driver of the vehicle he was asked if GURLEY was inside the residence that he previously left from. The driver of the vehicle stated yes, GURLEY was inside with an unknown female. Members of the USMS EATF were notified of the result of the traffic stop and contact was made at the above address. The carport door was breached, and commands were given. GURLEY proceeded to run to the front of the residence where he was met by members of the EATF. GURLEY then fled to the rear of the residence where the remaining members of the EATF were. GURLEY then proceeded to attempt to flee out of a window where he was quickly intercepted. During the arrest a pistol was seen on the floor next to the couch where he was sitting in plain view along with a Ziploc bag of Methamphetamine. A search warrant was conducted by the North Little Rock Police Department and all evidence was seized and stored by them.
GURLEY was placed in a NLRPD Cruiser for transport to the Pulaski County Detention Center when it was discovered that he had wrapped the seat belt around his neck attempting to harm himself. The seat belt was removed and paramedics were called to the scene to assist. GURLEY was checked out and all his vital signs were normal, but he still refused to (WAKE UP). GURLEY was then transported to the Springhill Baptist Hospital where he was checked out and medically cleared to go to jail at which time he (WOKE UP). GURLEY was transported to the Pulaski County Detention Center by members of the EATF.
- On June 21, 2021, I was contacted by the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office regarding help locating and apprehending Benjamin GURLEY (PID# 0096619) due to his outstanding warrants for Simultaneous Possession of Drugs/Firearms along with his Arkansas Parole Board Abscond Warrant. It was also well known by the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office that GURLEY was actively making threats regarding shootouts with law enforcement if they attempted to apprehend him. On the morning of July 13, 2021, information was received that GURLEY could possibly be residing at 3615 Chandler St / North Little Rock, AR. Surveillance of the above address was conducted. While watching the residence, a white passenger car arrived at the residence. The vehicle was occupied 2 times and the driver was seen putting something in the trunk of the vehicle. When the vehicle left the above address, it was followed for a distance and pulled over for a traffic infraction. Upon contact with the driver of the vehicle he was asked if GURLEY was inside the residence that he previously left from. The driver of the vehicle stated yes, GURLEY was inside with an unknown female. Members of the USMS EATF were notified of the result of the traffic stop and contact was made at the above address. The carport door was breached, and commands were given. GURLEY proceeded to run to the front of the residence where he was met by members of the EATF. GURLEY then fled to the rear of the residence where the remaining members of the EATF were. GURLEY then proceeded to attempt to flee out of a window where he was quickly intercepted. During the arrest a pistol was seen on the floor next to the couch where he was sitting in plain view along with a Ziploc bag of Methamphetamine. A search warrant was conducted by the North Little Rock Police Department and all evidence was seized and stored by them.
- There is not one case that defines him, as he is a part of every one of them in some way. His dedication and work ethic are second to none. He works tirelessly without complaint making sure his subordinates are taken care of as well has his superiors. He is humble beyond belief and wants no recognition for anything he has accomplished, but as his supervisor and the Commander of the Special Response Team I, Dicky Johnson, would like to nominate SRT Coordinator Marcus “Levi” Lovin for Officer of the Year.
- Marcus displays leadership, devotion to the team, and extraordinary work ethic. He joined the US Marshals Eastern Arkansas Fugitive Task Force as a part-time TFO in 2011 and later went full-time in 2013. He is the Special Response Team, (SRT) Assistant Commander for the ACC and has always been looked upon as the de facto liaison between the US Marshals Service task force officers and the deputy marshals in this district. If there’s ever a question of what needs to be done, or one of the team members is looking for advice on one of their cases, he is the go-to guy. He stepped up in 2022 to assist with managing the Eastern Arkansas Fugitive Taskforce when the Eastern Arkansas US Marshals Service office was suffering from low manpower and going through management transitions. As Assistant Commander of the Special Response Team for ACC, he and his team members have played a vital role in ACC fulfilling its mission daily to provide public safety to the citizens of our great state. He is proven leader and has shown time and time again to be an invaluable asset to the Special Response Team and the Eastern Arkansas Fugitive Task Force. It is without question that Levi has played a vital role in the continued success of the Special Response Team over the years.
- His most notable actions were his tracking down Arkansas’ most wanted fugitives, Samuel Hartman, Misty Hartman and Linda White. Misty and Linda broke Samuel out of the Arkansas State Prison at Brickeys Arkansas on 8-12-2022. His never give up attitude and relentless pursuit of leads from all over the United States resulted him capturing them in a hotel in Lewisburg KY on 8-29-2023.
- He supervises 18 full time SRT Officers and approximately 150 Task Force Officers throughout the state—his leadership skills resulted in 2740 of the states most vicious criminals being captured, more than a million grams of drugs, 500 weapons and $1,275,006 dollars in cash being added to the Asset Forfeiture account this past year.
- Marcus “Levi” Lovin has been employed with the agency since April of 2010. Marcus started his career with the agency as a Probation / Parole Officer after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. During that time, he supervised specialized case loads to include Sex Offenders and Absconders. In 2012 he was approached by members of the United States Marshals Service regarding interest in joining the Eastern Arkansas Fugitive Task Force (EATF). The primary function of the EATF is to serve violent and sexual based warrants within the Eastern District of Arkansas. In January of 2014, the Division of Community Correction founded the Special Response Team (SRT) and Mr. Lovin was placed 2nd in command as the SRT Coordinator. He is the immediate supervisor of 17 other SRT Officers, most of which are tied to other federal partner task forces.
- Faulkner County Winner: Agent Darrell Flowers
- Early in your law enforcement career, fatigue sets in. Physical and mental burnout consumes you. The desire for greener pastures creeps into your thoughts daily. Agent Darrell Flowers said, “no matter how bad things get, something good is out there over the horizon.”
Agent D. Flowers horizon was beyond his imagination. You see, when he took his oath of office, he defined elementary kids as only something to protect. However, he soon discovered service was needed. Unbeknownst to many, several elementary schools have crosswalks without adult supervision, where children close to five years of age are crossing the street alone. In the winter months it’s still dark outside when these babies are crossing the street at a height that places them in the blind spot of most sport utility vehicles.
For Agent D. Flowers greener pastures consisted of being at the crosswalk every day, serving as the crossing guard. He reported every day when the school doors were open. He was there in the rain, snow, heat, and cold. His motto was, “if these kids can report to school, then I can show up and help them across the street.”
Obviously, everyone has their own definition of a hero, or an outstanding heroic act. Your hero may wear a cape or run into a burning building. However, for the kids walking to school daily, battling the elements of weather and vehicles beyond their height, speed, and size, their hero is simply wearing a traffic vest and holding a stop sign.
- Early in your law enforcement career, fatigue sets in. Physical and mental burnout consumes you. The desire for greener pastures creeps into your thoughts daily. Agent Darrell Flowers said, “no matter how bad things get, something good is out there over the horizon.”
“I tell people everywhere I go that I have the best Corrections Professionals in the country,” Division of Correction Director Dexter Payne said. “Today one of our own was recognized and received and award for their outstanding work in Law Enforcement. I am very proud of this officer and the wonderful job that he has done for the State of Arkansas.”
The Division of Correction officer honored include:
- Izard County: Lt. Robert Cross of the North Central Unit
- Lt. Robert Cross started his career on 7/26/2010 as a Correctional Officer I, promoting to Corporal a year later. Leaving the department for a short period on 3/17/2014 for employment within the Oilfield as a Master Mechanic and Boilermaker, Lt. Robert Cross returned on 1/6/2016 to resume his Corporal duties. When asked about the break in his career service, the employee expresses remorse about leaving the North Central Unit and a desire to work for the Arkansas Department of Corrections until retirement. On 8/27/2017, he promoted to Correctional Sergeant with the North Central Unit as a Field Rider. By April 2020, he assumed more responsibility by accepting the challenging position of Fusion Center Coordinator. Lt. Cross most recently promoted to Lieutenant on 11/12/2023 as the Unit’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.
As the Fusion Center Coordinator, Lt. Cross provided resources, expertise, and information to the Warden with the goal of maximizing the ability to detect, prevent, investigate, and respond to criminal activity or departmental policy violations. He conducted and assisted with any investigations concerning both Staff and Inmates. Lt. Cross monitored inmate correspondence, video visits, and phone calls for the entire unit population. The employee worked closely with the STTG Coordinator to monitor gang activity and gang related offenders. Lt. Cross maintained a watchlist of high-profile inmates, continuously monitored them for any security threats, and took steps to mitigate the chances of endangerment to staff and inmates alike. Lt. Cross has been instrumental in detecting, isolating, and removing dangerous contraband, such as Fentanyl, Synthetic Cannabinoids, Marijuana, Synthetic Marijuana, Methamphetamines, Tabacco, and Cellular Devices from entering our facility throughout the years.
Lt. Cross has held multiple leadership positions such as Emergency Response Team member, Field Sergeant, Fusion Center Coordinator, and his most recent promotion to Unit Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. As he now supervises the Fusion Center Coordinator, Fire/Safety Sergeant, Key Control Officer, Hobby Craft Officer, Sanitation Officer, Sally Port, and the Transportation team, he is responsible for all those areas in addition to being responsible for preparing for the unit’s response to emergencies. Lt. Cross is responsible for preparing quarterly sessions to execute written plans and conduct drills/exercises simulating emergencies for all areas of the institution. These drills include scenarios such as escapes, disturbances, bombs, hostages, adverse job actions, power failure, tornado, severe/inclement weather, hunger strike, inmate death, rape, earthquake, catastrophic, epidemic, and pandemic situations.
As the Unit Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Lt. Cross conducts needs assessments, develop training plans, and ensure that the North Central Unit employees are appropriately trained and knowledgeable about response plans. This includes collaborating with outside agencies to prepare for and respond to emergencies and coordinating the responses to such incidents and disasters. Lt. Cross has had to build and maintain relationships with other agencies, including but not limited to, local health care providers, emergency medical services, fire departments, hospitals, law enforcement agencies, and emergency management, to maintain and update emergency plans and to develop agreements. He represents the unit in local, county, and regional level emergency preparedness meetings, committees, and groups.
Lt. Cross brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team, from first-hand attempted inmate escape to prison riot situations. In each of his roles, the employee has exhibited superior job knowledge, performance, professionalism, innovation, and leadership qualities. This exceptional leadership and foresight significantly contribute to the unit’s mission success. His unwavering commitment to personnel growth and readiness directly impacts the unit’s operational effectiveness. The employee displays tireless devotion to the safety and well being of his co-workers in all aspects of his day-to-day duties. Lt. Cross consistently displays exceptional competence and depth of professional knowledge in the execution of his responsibilities as the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator with zero mishaps. This leader prides himself on ensuring NCU is prepared for any situation by conducting well thought out and all-inclusive drills.
His steadfast integrity, sound judgment and consummate professionalism earns him the highest level of trust, loyalty, and dedication from those who have worked with and for him. With over 11 years of service, his career is a sterling example of dedication and professionalism and reflects great credit upon himself, the North Central Unit, the Arkansas Division of Corrections, and the Corrections profession as a whole.
- Lt. Robert Cross started his career on 7/26/2010 as a Correctional Officer I, promoting to Corporal a year later. Leaving the department for a short period on 3/17/2014 for employment within the Oilfield as a Master Mechanic and Boilermaker, Lt. Robert Cross returned on 1/6/2016 to resume his Corporal duties. When asked about the break in his career service, the employee expresses remorse about leaving the North Central Unit and a desire to work for the Arkansas Department of Corrections until retirement. On 8/27/2017, he promoted to Correctional Sergeant with the North Central Unit as a Field Rider. By April 2020, he assumed more responsibility by accepting the challenging position of Fusion Center Coordinator. Lt. Cross most recently promoted to Lieutenant on 11/12/2023 as the Unit’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.
