Agenda Highlights 6/9/26
At the Fort Smith Board of Directors study session meeting to be held 6-9-26 the Board will hear the Police Department annual report for 2025. Highlights of the report include
Overall Group A crime was down 10.6% versus 2024 and down 29.97% versus the 5 year average and down 32.88% versus the 10 year average
Homicide was at 7 incidents, up from 1 in 2024. Sexual Assault was at 148 incidents, up from 145 in 2024. Aggravated Assault was at 557 incidents, down from 614 in 2024. Robber was at 68 incidents, down from 76 in 2024. Arson was at 13 incidents, up from 12 in 2024. Burglary was at 405 incidents, down from 470 in 2024. Larceny/Theft was at 2521 incidents, down from 2779 in 2024. Motor Vehicle Theft was at 212 incidents, down from 300 in 2024.
The Office of Professional Standards conducted 491 investigations including 40 internal complaints (30 were substantiated) and 52 citizen complaints (5 were substantiated).
The Office of Public Relations participated in 393 events, distributed 6400 meals through the Food Patrol program, launched the officer children’s story-time program, and launched monthly public crime prevention classes.
353 DWI arrests were made, a 40% increase over 2023 and a 3% increase over 2024.
The Organized Retail Crime working group was established.
The Crisis Intervention Unit responded to 2,319 calls and diverted 51 people from criminal charges and referred 72 people for mental health treatment.
The Bicycle Unit responded to 1,320 calls.
The Traffic Unit responded to 271 collisions, made 4509 traffic stops, and investigated 18 serious injury or fatality crashes.
SHIELD Our Youth responded to 170 calls, participated in 109 community events, diverted 148 juveniles from prosecution, and addressed 5 suicide threats with zero of the suicides being completed.
Crimes Against Persons investigated 1,919 cases with a 93.5% clearance rate.
Crimes Against Property investigated 1,494 cases with a 79.8% clearance rate.
Special Investigations investigated 785 cases with a 95.7% clearance rate.
Narcotics and Intelligence participated in 127 drug related investigations.
The K-9 unit assisted in 80 felony drug arrests.
Methamphetamine was the top drug seized. Marijuana was the second. Fentanyl was the third.
Animal Services responded to 6,696 calls and brought 1485 animals to the shelter (a 12% increase over 2024), reunited 170 animals with their owners, did 193 injured animal transports, and issued 451 citations.
911 Operators answered 180,434 calls including 121,159 non-emergency calls, 59,275 emergency calls, and 89,357 police patrol calls.
The Board will hear the Fire Department 2025 annual report. Highlights include…
The Fire Department responded to 16,000 calls, up 1.45% from 2024.
There were 344 fire calls, 2.15% of all calls.
There were 11,241 rescue calls, 70.26% of all calls. Those included 11,193 calls for emergency medical treatment.
92.41% of property involved in fires was saved. The total value of saved property was $44,581,215.
The top 5 addresses with the most incidents for which the Fire Department was called were #1 Hope Campus, #2 Nelson Hall Homes, #3 Brookdale, #4 Sebastian County Jail, and #5 Morada.
Fire Station 7 was the busiest station with 13.08% of all calls. Fire Station 11 was the least busy station with 2.8% of the calls.
The Board will hear an update on the revised scope for the Bass Reeves Legacy Loop Greenway. A federal BUILD grant for $24,987,098 was applied for in November 2024 and awarded in January 2025.
The Board will discuss a water rate freeze or discount for senior citizens 65 years old and older. One proposed option would be to freeze rates for seniors at the 2026 rate for the base rate and the first tier (up to 3 CCFs) of usage. The other proposed option, the one recommended by City staff, would be to instead offer a 10% discount on water for seniors. for the base rate and the first tier of usage.
Based on the US Census, 16% of Fort Smith’s citizens are over 65. Based on that percentage, the 10% discount would result in $331,000 in reduced revenue. City staff proposes that that loss could be offset by a 4 cent/CCF increase in water rates for industrial, commercial, and wholesale customers.
