BIG PROMOTION: Troy Ellison meets with his family after being formally promoted to assistant chief. Brian Chilson

Four officers at the Little Rock Police Department were promoted on Friday morning, two of them Black officers who, with their simultaneous promotions to assistant chiefs, made history.

Police Chief Heath Helton presented the ceremony to a packed room of visitors, new recruits and current police staff at the department’s training center. Absent the stereotypical donut refreshments, a spread of Chick-fil-A breakfast was prepped in the back.

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Brian Chilson
POLICE CHIEF: Heath Helton closed out the ceremony with reference to Mayor Frank Scott Jr.’s goals to improve the quality of life in Little Rock.

Though in different recruit classes, Maj. Andre Dyer and Maj. Troy Ellison both started with the LRPD in 1995. Nearly 30 years later, they will start as assistant chiefs tomorrow, March 25. Dyer will be over the patrol divisions and special operations, and Ellison will oversee the executive bureau.

Brian Chilson
MAKING HISTORY: Andre Dyer (left) and Troy Ellison (right) being promoted on the same day makes LRPD history.

Helton said that Dyer and Ellison are only the sixth and seventh Black chiefs in LRPD’s history.

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“We’ve come a long way; we’ve got a long way to go,” Helton said. “So I’m very excited about these two men, what they’re going to bring to the table.”

The Little Rock branch of the NAACP sent out a release prior to the promotion ceremony. 

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The Little Rock NAACP says Police Chief Heath Helton’s recent decision to simultaneously promote two African American officers to the rank of assistant chief was an independently made impartial judgment.

 

Daniel Bowman, President of the civil rights organization said Helton’s actions demonstrate a balanced approach to identifying candidates who are eligible for promotions based on their qualifications and work performance.

Dyer, who was joined by his brother-and-sister-in-law during his promotion, thanked God and his mom for getting him to the place he was today. He said that his mother “stands about five feet tall on a good day” but gave him his “pitbull mentality, my will to work, my will to never give up.”

Brian Chilson
PROMOTION: Andre Dyer’s brother-and-sister-in-law Rob and Alice Calhoun, joined him for his promotion.

He also promised that residents would see a change. 

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“We’re gonna police these streets the way that all of us that have been here more than 15 years remember policing these streets,” Dyer said. 

One of Ellison’s daughters, Shelby, secured his badge Friday. He said that he was born and raised in Little Rock and has chosen to raise his own family in the city. 

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Brian Chilson
GIRL DAD: Troy Ellison said he is raising three women. His daughter Shelby helped with the ceremony Friday.

“I’m deeply committed to the great quality of life that they [his family], and this community, deserve,” Ellison said. 

In his new role, Ellison will be responsible for internal affairs, the officer wellness program, vehicles, the Real Time Crime Center and more. He said that he is confident in the leadership team to embrace and overcome challenges, welcome all suggestions, inputs and insight all while standing on the “principles of equality, inclusion and treating our citizens and officers with dignity and respect.”

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Zachary Farley and Eric Hinsley were also promoted to the rank of Major on Friday.

Brian Chilson
PROMOTION TIME: Zachary Farley was bumped up to Major.
Brian Chilson
MOVING TO MAJOR: Eric Hinsley receives his new gear.

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