County committee to discuss police support, gun rights

West side of the Benton County Courthouse May 25, 2016.
West side of the Benton County Courthouse May 25, 2016.

BENTONVILLE — Benton County justices of the peace expect more than the usual number of public comments when they discuss a resolution supporting law enforcement and one supporting the Bill of Rights.

The Quorum Court’s Committee of the Whole is expected to consider the two items tonight. The meeting will be at the Benton County Fairgrounds auditorium to accommodate the expected crowd and to maintain social distancing.

“I really don’t know what to expect,” Justice of the Peace Jerry Snow said of the meeting. “It could be over real quick, or it might be an all-night affair.”

Some residents at a Quorum Court meeting in June expressed concern about a law enforcement resolution sponsored by Justice of the Peace Debra Hobbs. Justices of the peace voted to table the item to the Committee of the Whole meeting.

Jon Comstock of Rogers, a former Benton County circuit judge, told the Quorum Court that Hobbs’ resolution sends the wrong message to the community because it supports only one side.

Comstock, a Democrat, is running for election to the Arkansas House of Representatives’ District 96 seat in November.

Protests, sometimes violent, erupted across the nation in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for almost 9 minutes.

Hobbs called her original resolution simple and straightforward. All law enforcement can’t be “painted with the same brush,” she said at the June meeting.

Justices discussed changing some of the wording before they tabled the item.

The first part of Hobbs’ resolution read, “Whereas recent events have spawned an atmosphere of disdain and criticism for members of the law enforcement community.” That part was deleted. Section one of Hobbs’ resolution also was deleted, according to a draft resolution included in the Committee of the Whole packet.

Benton County Attorney George Spence in an email to justices of the peace last week suggested the court adopt a joint statement, and the justices, if they desire, issue a further statement about their individual position or feelings about the statement.

The statement from the Quorum Court could be a resolution, but wouldn’t necessarily have to be one, Spence said.

Snow is a staunch supporter of a resolution in support of law enforcement. He said Hobbs’ version was fine as presented, but said he was OK if changes were made.

Justices of peace also will discuss a Bill of Rights resolution.

The resolution grew out of a proposed Second Amendment/Bill of Rights sanctuary ordinance submitted in January by members of the Libertarian Party to the Committee of the Whole.

At the February Quorum Court meeting, Snow made a motion against forming a subcommittee to discuss the issue and to move the item back to Committee of the Whole to discuss as a resolution.

Justice of the Peace Michelle Chiocco said she approached Spence after that meeting about a Bill of Rights resolution, which she would sponsor.

She planned to bring the new resolution up for discussion in March, but then covid-19 hit.

The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. It spells out Americans’ rights in relation to the government, according to the National Archives.

Mike Jones may be reached by email at [email protected].

County meetings

Upcoming county meetings include:

• Committee of the Whole: 6 p.m. today at the Benton County Fairgrounds auditorium.

• Quorum Court: 6 p.m. July 30 in Circuit Judge Robin Green’s courtroom.

Source: NWA Democrat-Gazette

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