Arkoma residents and Police Chief Michael Ivy are worried that the town could be left with reduced police protection if budget cuts are made to the department. Ahead of a special city council meeting, Ivy expressed concerns that he and the assistant chief could be out of a job depending on the decisions made by town leaders.

Background

Ivy was hired as Arkoma police chief in December 2022, when the town had already gone months without full-time police protection due to low salaries. He built up the department to seven full-time officers but has since seen it reduced to four due to budget cuts.

According to Ivy, the proposed budget would cut his pay by another 40%, from around $70,000 to $40,000. He believes this is a sign that the town is planning to replace him as chief. Ivy stated that under his leadership, the police department had consistently come in under budget on expenses and over budget on revenue expectations.

Resident Concerns

Many Arkoma residents are concerned about the potential reduction in police protection. Resident Jessica Beauvais said, ‘We need police in town and we need lower water bills.’ Beauvais, who has lived in Arkoma for about 30 years, plans to attend the city council meeting to express her concerns.

Ivy emphasized that the people of Arkoma deserve better, saying, ‘They deserve police protection. They deserve a community that cares about them, and they deserve leadership that matters.’

Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.