The award and other statewide awards were presented by Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge during ceremonies today.    

State police Corporal Mark Blackerby, 33, of Lonoke County, was recognized for his role in saving a North Carolina kidnapping victim after two Lonoke officers were involved in an exchange of gunfire with the man who had abducted the teenage girl 9 days earlier.  

The local officers had stopped the suspect’s vehicle on February 20, 2021 near a Lonoke fast-food restaurant.  As the driver exited the vehicle he shot and critically wounded one of the officers prompting the second policeman to return fire.  The suspect then fled in the vehicle still holding the kidnapping victim.  

 State trooper Blackerby later spotted the suspect and pursued the getaway vehicle until the driver lost control and struck an embankment.  The kidnapper then took his own life.  Corporal Blackerby quickly secured the 14 year old girl who was reunited with her family the next day.  

Additionally, during the award ceremony, state troopers from 45 of Arkansas’ 75 counties were recognized and awarded County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.  The troopers were among nominees from a pool of other state, county and local law enforcement officers within their respective counties of assignment.   Each of the state troopers was recognized for their individual dedication to law enforcement duties and community involvement in their home counties where they are assigned and serve.    

The troopers receiving top County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Awards were:

Arkansas County – ASP Corporal Billy McCradic

Ashley County – ASP Trooper Charles Allen

Baxter County – ASP Special Agent Jackie Stinnett

Calhoun County – ASP Trooper First Class Wade Schanzlin

Chicot County – ASP Trooper Christian Morphis

Clay County – ASP Special Agent Mark Vavak

Cleveland County – ASP Corporal Greg Rowland

Columbia County – ASP Trooper Brian Palmer

Crawford County – ASP Trooper Rafael Guerra

Cross County – ASP Trooper Tanner Hess

Dallas County – ASP Trooper Jimmy Plyler Jr.

Desha County – ASP Senior Corporal Kelvin Fells

Drew County – ASP Corporal Lagarian Cross

Faulkner County – ASP Trooper Tyler Langley

Franklin County – ASP Trooper James Ray

Fulton County – ASP Trooper Jason Long

Greene County – ASP Corporal Todd Harris

Hempstead County – ASP Trooper Trevor Dew

Independence County – ASP Corporal Dustin Carpenter

Izard County – ASP Trooper Remington Lively

Jefferson County – ASP Trooper Shane Caviness

Lafayette County – ASP Trooper First Class David Fielding Jr.

Lawrence County – ASP Corporal Phillip Roark

Lee County – ASP Senior Special Agent Aundrae Mack

Little River County – ASP Trooper Joshua Broughton

Logan County – ASP Corporal Jed Bolyard

Lonoke County – ASP Corporal Mark Blackerby

Madison County – ASP Trooper First Class Ronnie Boyd

Marion County – ASP Corporal Robert Sanford

Miller County – ASP Trooper First Class Dale Young

Mississippi County – ASP Corporal Freddy Ware

Nevada County – ASP Trooper Jacob Price

Newton County – ASP Corporal Jayson Poole

Ouachita County – ASP Trooper Justin Starnes

Perry County – ASP Trooper Brady Nuckels

Phillips County – ASP Special Agent Heath Gurley

Poinsett County – ASP Corporal Scott McLaughlin

Prairie County – ASP Special Agent Rodney Davenport

Pulaski County – ASP Corporal Brandon Love, [tied with] Trooper Dakota Davis, Trooper Korbyn Freeman and Trooper Jeb Little

Randolph County – Trooper First Class Zachary Paschal

Sharp County – ASP Senior Special Agent Wendall Jines

Stone County – ASP Trooper Jonathan Arnold

Union County – ASP Trooper Victor Meza-Toro

Woodruff County – ASP Trooper Jess Burris