CONWAY -- The Faulkner County Quorum Court voted Tuesday night to name Matt Rice as the new sheriff to succeed Andy Shock, who is leaving at month's end to become a member of the state Parole Board.
The vote was 12-1 for Rice, who is Shock's chief deputy and who has been with the office for 15 years. As sheriff, Rice, 41, will take over supervision of an office that employs just under 200 people. Shock's last day in the office will be Aug. 31.
Justice of the Peace Dan Thessing voted present. Thessing declined to comment after the meeting but earlier in the evening he had made a motion to name former Sheriff Karl Byrd, Shock's predecessor, to the job.
Shock and Rice are Republicans. Byrd is a Democrat. Votes did not appear to be along party lines. Thessing is a Republican.
The Quorum Court subsequently amended that motion on a vote of 8-5 to choose Rice instead. Those voting against were Justices of the Peace Johnny Brady, LeRoy Hendricks, Barbara Mathes, Rocky Lawrence and Thessing.
Shock urged the group to support Rice. "He is a man I'd trust with my checkbook and my children," Shock said. "Matt has, as much as I've tried to get him to run for sheriff," indicated no interest in doing so.
Rice, standing at the back of the crowded courtroom, nodded in agreement.
Thessing also made a motion for the justices of the peace to go into executive, or closed, session to discuss Rice and Byrd. That motion failed.
Jack Sotallaro and Chris Carnahan, a former deputy prosecutor, were the only audience members who spoke on the issue, and both urged support for Rice.
Voters have twice overwhelmingly elected Shock, who has promoted Rice and recommended him, Sotallaro said.
Carnahan added, "As a deputy prosecutor, I got to know Matt Rice and also the people who work under him," and they like him.
Before the vote that named Rice to the position, County Judge Jim Baker told the justices of the peace that if their decision could be unanimous, "This county would be better served."
After the vote, Rice stepped to the front of the room, thanked the justices of the peace and said, "It means a lot to me."
As Thessing walked out of the courtroom after the meeting, he shook Rice's hand and said, "Best of luck to you."
Shock said afterward that Byrd, who did not seek a fourth term in office, has been "lobbying" for the job.
Byrd, however, said by telephone later, "I was contacted and asked if I was appointed if I would accept the appointment. I didn't lobby for the job. I just told them that if the county needed me for the job, I would serve."
Byrd called Rice "a great guy."
The transition comes as the sheriff's office has been under scrutiny over the arrests of two men who led deputies on a bullet-riddled car chase in May. After an internal investigation, Shock fired one deputy for what Shock called "excessive force" but cleared three other deputies to return to work after they were put on paid administrative leave for a time. The men arrested were taken to a local hospital, where they were treated and released the same night.
Rice confirmed recently that the sheriff's office has been working with the FBI to determine whether any actions during those arrests rose to the level of a federal civil-rights violation. The FBI has declined to comment.
State Desk on 08/19/2015