The Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training voted unanimously on Tuesday to decertify former Springdale police officer Christopher Schmeckenbecher. Schmeckenbecher, who served as a school resource officer at the Springdale School District’s Archer Learning Center, used his school‑issued computer to view pornography and fictional stories describing sexual abuse, according to Arkansas Online.

During the hearing, the commission reviewed the officer’s browser history, which showed visits to the fan‑fiction site Archive of Our Own and to Reddit, where he accessed pornographic images and GIFs embedded in the fiction. The history included titles such as “My Ideal Incestuous Childhood,” “Adult Depravities and Hard School Days,” and “My Sweet Daughter Bella.” Schmeckenbecher testified that he was only interested in the images, stating, “I was looking for the images, and I would scroll, scroll, scroll.”

Schmeckenbecher resigned from the Springdale Police Department on April 18, 2025, amid an internal investigation. He now works for a roofing company in Harrison and has not sought further law‑enforcement employment. The commission’s decision follows state rules that any officer who resigns during an internal investigation must be referred for decertification.

Attorney Jesi Feld, representing the state Department of Public Safety, argued that students at the Archer Learning Center—an at‑risk program for grades 9‑12—are especially vulnerable and should be protected from such misconduct. “Your behavior is disgusting, you do not deserve to be in law enforcement,” Feld said in closing remarks.

Schmeckenbecher told the commission he has been in professional and religious counseling for his pornography addiction, which he says began after accidental exposure at age seven. He expressed remorse, noting, “I cannot undo the breach of trust that I made with the Springdale Police Department, the Springdale School District, my colleagues, my wife or my family.” He also said he is working to keep his relationship with God strong to avoid relapse.

Springdale Police Chief Derek Wright confirmed that Schmeckenbecher was offered the option to resign rather than be terminated. Wright said the officer could not continue working for the department and noted that the commission’s vote was consistent with state policy.

In addition to Schmeckenbecher, the commission also decertified former Sebastian County sheriff’s deputies Terryice Hewing and Hollie Whitlock for sexual harassment and use of racial slurs, though they did not appear at the hearing. The commission denied Hewing’s request for a continuance.

What’s next: The decertification is now final. Schmeckenbecher’s law‑enforcement certification is revoked, preventing him from returning to police work in Arkansas. The Springdale Police Department will continue its internal review of hiring and monitoring practices to protect students in the Archer Learning Center and other schools.

Sources: arkansasonline.com