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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Where is the Sheriff's Department located?

A: The Sheriff's Dept. is at 1510 Pace Road, Pocahontas, Arkansas 72455. Our telephone number is 870-892-8888.

 

Q: Is there a phone number I can call for road conditions, especially during winter or bad weather?

A: Yes. The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Dept. operates a road condition hotline at 1-800-245-1672.

 


Q: How do I report child abuse or neglect?

A: If the situation is an emergency, dial 911. Otherwise, if you suspect that a child is being abused or neglected, call the child abuse and neglect hotline at 1-800-482-5964.

 

Q: What is the purpose of the Most Wanted program?

A: The purpose is to solicit leads from the public on persons wanted on felony warrants. We recognize the value of public assistance.

 

Q: What criteria decides who goes on the Most Wanted list?

A: The person must be charged with a felony warrant and the charge must be for a violent crime, narcotics, crime against property, or any other crime of a serious nature. Pick-up orders for non-payment of child support may be placed on the list. The list is not ranked and the number of persons on the list varies by circumstances.

 

Q: I purchased a new vehicle, when do I have to get a license plate?

A: Arkansas law requires that you license the vehicle within 30 days of the purchase date.

 

Q: What about liability insurance on my vehicle?

A: Arkansas law requires any motor vehicle driven on public roadways be covered by liability insurance and proof of that must be carried in the vehicle at all times. This requirement means before you move it from where you purchased it.

 

Q: What are the requirements of the seat belt law?

A: All persons in the front seat are required to wear a seatbelt. All persons under the age of 15 are required to buckle up in the back seat, also.

 

Q: What are the safety requirements for children in vehicles?

A: Arkansas law requires children under six years of age and weighing less than sixty pounds to be seated in child safety seats. If the child weighs at least sixty pounds or is between six and fifteen years old, the child must wear a seat belt.

 

Q: May a child ride in the back of a pickup truck?

A: No. (see above law)

 

Q: I'm thinking about tinting the windows on my vehicle, what are the legal requirements?

A: There are certain legal specifications in tinting your vehicle's windows in accordance with state statutes. The front driver's side window and front passenger window tint must be at least 25% net light transmission or higher. The side windows behind the driver and the rear window tint must be at least 10% net light transmission or higher. You may place a strip of tinting material on the windshield but it may extend only five inches down from the top.

 

Q: BODY ATTACHMENTS-What does this mean?

A: Body Attachments are court orders usually issued in child support enforcement actions. They are very similiar to warrants of arrest that are issued in criminal cases.

A Body Attachment orders and directs law enforcement officers to seize the body of the person named in the order and hold that person in custody pending further orders of the court.

Most Body Attachments (but not all) will have language indicating that the person can be released from custody if a prescribed cash amount is paid to secure his release. This amount may or may not equal the total of delinquent child support payments. Other Body Attachments will require the person to remain in custody until brought before the Judge who issued the order. Body Attachments can be served in any part of the State, just as arrest warrants can.

 

Q: CHILD SAFETY SEAT-At what age does my child have to be in a child safety or booster seat?

A: Arkansas Law requires that a child under six (6) years of age or sixty (60) pounds, be restrained in a child passenger seat properly secured to the vehicle. Any child over six (6) and under fifteen (15) years of age must be secured in a seatbelt.

 

Q: CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS - How do I obtain one?

A: Criminal Background Checks - General: The Sheriff's Office may provide certain information to the public that is available for public disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. This would include information from the Sheriff's Office Records Management System on Incident/Offense Reports, Accident Reports, Jail Booking Records, Warrant Records, Civil Process Records, Citations, and Dispatch Logs/Complaint Cards. Exceptions would be for records relating to active/ongoing investigations, certain personnel records, records that have been sealed/expunged by court order, and records involving juvenile offenders or juvenile suspects. There are nominal fees associated with processing these requests. The Sheriff's Office is prohibited by law from providing criminal history or background information of any kind from the Arkansas Crime Information Center database or the National Crime Information Center database. In addition, we cannot provide information relating to records maintained by any other law enforcement agency. You would need to contact those agencies directly for information from their records.

The Arkansas State Police Identification Bureau in Little Rock can provide a more thorough criminal history check that encompasses all jurisdictions in Arkansas. Information on their procedures can be found on the Arkansas State Police web site at www.asp.state.ar.us

 

Q: EVICTION-How do I evict someone or have them evicted?

A: Eviction Procedures: In cooperation with the Prosecuting Attorney's Office, we have established specific protocols we use in handling eviction procedures for persons who have failed or refused to pay rent. While there may be other reasons for a landlord or property owner wanting to evict a tenant, the ONLY circumstances that the Sheriff's Office can become involved in under the law is Eviction for Non-Payment of rent. All other types of evictions for all other reasons must be handled through an attorney in civil court. For cases of non-payment of rent, the renter/tenant must be served in person either by the landlord or by a Sheriff's Deputy ($25.00 charge) with an Eviction Notice. This notice will give the renter/tenant ten (10) days from the day of service to vacate the premises. If this does not occur, a Sheriff's Deputy will be assigned to issue the renter/tenant a Citation to Appear in District Court for the criminal offense of Failure to Vacate/Failure to Pay Rent, which is a misdemeanor. Any further proceedings would be only by direction of the District Court Judge.

 

Q: MISSING PERSONS - How and under what conditions can I report someone missing?

A: Missing Person reports are separated into two general categories:

Missing/Runaway Juveniles: The parent or guardian of any juvenile (under 18 years of age) may file a missing person-runaway juvenile report at any time. These reports will be immediately entered into the NCIC/ACIC law enforcement database, which would serve to alert any officer from any jurisdiction having contact with the juvenile that he or she is listed as missing or a runaway. Radio notification will be made to all officers on duty. Deputies will also follow-up on any leads provided by the parent/guardian as to the possible location of the juvenile.

Missing Adults: Any person eighteen (18) years of age or older is considered to be an adult with full freedom of movement and liberty. Exceptions would include persons 18 years of age or older who remain under the legal guardianship of another adult or protective services. Deputies will take reports of missing adults at any time. The extent of any follow-up will depend upon the circumstances of the disappearance. For example, if evidence indicated that the missing person was endangered or may have been forcibly abducted, deputies would immediately begin follow-up on leads. If the missing person simply has not been seen recently but no evidence of foul play was found to exist, then our options and responsibilities in those cases are limited under the law and department policy.

 

Q: POLICE REPORTS-How do I get a copy?

A: Obtaining Copies of Reports and Records: Most Sheriff's Office records are public information under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act and are available for public viewing, and for copying for a nominal fee. There are several exceptions to this, including specifically reports and paperwork relating to criminal cases remaining open and under investigation, certain personnel records, records sealed/expunged by court order, and records relating to juveniles (under 18 years of age). We will not compile statistical or comparative data for individuals, nor will Administration Staff offer comment on reports or documents prepared and filed by individual deputies.

Accident Reports: Patrol Deputies prepare traffic accident reports on accidents they have investigated on county roads. These reports are filed with clerical staff within five (5) days of the date of the accident. There is a nominal fee for copies of these reports. Although deputies frequently arrive at accident scenes on Arkansas State Highways and U. S. Highways to assist the State Police, the deputy will generally not investigate the accident himself. That is the responsibility of the State Police under the law. Reports from those accidents are filed with the Arkansas State Police Headquarters, and they are not available from the Sheriff's Office.

 
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