Lindsay Duncan
EL DORADO — Two things that law enforcement needs to be better at, according to Ricky Roberts, is hiring and training.
“I’ve always made a point to hire good attitudes,” Roberts said. Roberts discussed some of the problems in law enforcement as well as his future plans at the Civitan Club weekly meeting on Thursday.
Roberts, who was recently elected to serve as the next sheriff of Union County, has been in law enforcement for 30 years, serving in the El Dorado Police Department and Union County Sheriff’s Office.
He began his career in law enforcement in 1985, when he joined the Pine Bluff Police Department, serving as a patrol officer. In July 1987, he joined the EPD, where he spent 26 years as a patrol officer and criminal investigator. During his tenure, Roberts was promoted through the ranks of sergeant, lieutenant and captain.
He was named as chief of the EPD in 2000. He served as chief for 13 years before retiring. He then joined the UCSO as chief investigator.
“I take pride in putting this uniform on every day,” Roberts said. “I’m very humbled.”
Roberts said that there is a lack of training when it comes to law enforcement and that he wants to improve that when he takes his place as Union County Sheriff. He said that there are constant changes to what law enforcement officers can do and the guidelines they have to follow.
“There are things we could do 20 years ago that we can’t do today,” Roberts said.
Continuing to work with area law enforcement will be what happens when Roberts becomes sheriff on Jan. 1 as well as continuing to work with the drug problems in the local area. There are plans to work with Ashley county and continuing to work with Camden and Magnolia as well.
“Crime doesn’t stop at the county line,” Roberts said.
Roberts also wants to work with people who owe fines in the area from committing a crime. These people owe money, according to Roberts, and need to be tracked down. Roberts said that there was over $3 million in fines that has been reduced to approximately $100,000 since they have started tracking down people who owe fines.
“I would like to take the people who owe these fines and work out something where they pick up trash on Saturdays while wearing an ankle monitor,” Roberts said.
Mostly, Roberts wants the law enforcement officers to be more proactive. They will have monthly training as well as a helpful attitude.
“We need to get back to the serve part in the ‘serve and protect,’” Roberts said.