Barling police chief’s funeral set for today

— Family and friends of Barling Police Chief Tracy Powell will gather at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Fort Smith today to say goodbye to a law enforcement official described by one colleague as a “model cop.”

Powell, of Van Buren, died Sunday at Sparks Health System after being diagnosed with bone cancer just more than two months ago. He was 47.

“I never met anyone who didn’t know him or know of him,” said Barling Police Lt. Darrel Miner, who was named acting police chief after Powell’s death.

Miner spent the majority of his 16-year career working with Powell, dating back to 2003, when the two began working together on the 12th/21st Judicial District Drug Task Force. He said Powell took the war on drugs seriously. It was a personal cause of his, Miner said.

“He wanted to put a dent in the distribution of illegal drugs in Sebastian County, and he worked hard at it,” the lieutenant said.

Powell went to work for the Barling police in 1994 and worked his way up through the ranks. He had been the city’s chief since 2009, Miner said.

“He always told me he was lucky enough to have the best job in the world,” he said.

Barling is a city with a population of more than 4,600, and Miner said Powell was a stickler for making sure his officers treated each resident equally. “He expected professionalism and courtesy to every citizen his police officers dealt with,” Miner said.

Sebastian County Sheriff Bill Hollenbeck remembered Powell as “more than a law enforcement officer.”

“He meant so much to so many different people in so many different ways,” Hollenbeck said. “He was a good friend to many, many people, and he was a compassionate police officer that would go above and beyond to try to help people.”

But Powell could also put his armor on and be a tough enforcer when he needed to, the sheriff said.

“He just had so many different facets to his life. He was greatly respected and greatly loved by so many people, and not just in the law-enforcement community,” he added. With so many friends and fans, Powell was “bombarded” with people who wanted to visit him in his last weeks, he said.

Powell’s last day on duty was Sept. 12, Miner said. He married his longtime love, Kyla Payton, on Sept. 15. He is also survived by his daughter, Taylor Powell, three stepsons from a previous marriage and Payton’s two daughters.

As an Air Force veteran, Powell will be buried in the Fort Smith National Cemetery.

Arkansas, Pages 13 on 11/21/2012

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