The Searcy Police Department opened in 1879 with only three police officers, but 134 years later, the department counts more than 60 employees, including 47 full—time police officers.
Corporal Steve Hernandez is the public information and training division officer. He grew up in California and moved to Arkansas when he was 12 years old. Hernandez started working for the Searcy Police Department in 2004 and worked for the White County Sheriff’s Office from 2007 to 2013.In March, Cpl. Hernandez returned to the Searcy Police Department.
What are some of the routine responsibilities of officers who serve with the Searcy police department?
“We do a little bit of everything. We patrol businesses, especially at night, and we patrol neighborhoods. We have decided to take a proactive step toward preventing crime rather than a reactive (one). We have tons of programs with schools, and we have put more officers in schools. We now have two full—time officers that work as school resource officers and another one that goes to daycares, preschools and schools just to be seen, so that if anybody has thoughts of doing any harm to the school, that would deter him.”
What are some of the specific problems you have in Searcy?
“As a college town, we have a higher volume of traffic. We deal with a lot of traffic accidents but right now we are mostly dealing with people breaking into cars, and that’s because people leave their cars unlocked. It is very rare for us to find a car with a smashed window, usually people attempt the door and when it’s open, take everything they can. This doesn’t happen just on the Harding campus, but also in the neighborhoods around town. This happens because Searcy has a low crime ratio and people are very trusting. They don’t think they have to lock the door, but the truth is it takes just a person or two to break into a car. We put three in jail last month.
What tip would you give to the Harding students?
“Be aware of your surroundings. If you see something suspicious, report it, and if you don’t feel comfortable with calling us, talk to the Public Safety Department at Harding. We have a really close relationship with Public Safety and if something important is reported to them, they will definitely relay it to us. Also, when you are walking around, don’t walk by yourself, and this goes for females and males. This is a safe city, but sometimes we are still going to have the same problems as larger cities. Harding is a very safe environment. It is protected from the inside from Public Safety and from the outside from us. Anytime Public Safety needs us, they don’t hesitate to call us.”
