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By Lynda Hollenbeck
Courier Staff Benton Police Chief Gary Sipes said this morning that he is leaving to become chief of the Jacksonville Police Department.
Sipes initially planned to resign Monday, then said Tuesday that he was reconsidering his decision. This morning, he made his plans official.
“I made the decision after many discussions with my whole family and much prayer,” said Sipes, who has served as chief for a little more than four years.
Capt. Roger Gaither will serve as interim chief until a new chief is selected, Mayor Rick Holland said. Sipes’ official last day will be Monday.
“We wish him a lot of luck,” Holland said. “He will be facing some new challenges in Jacksonville. He’s certainly up up to that, and Jacksonville is lucky to get him.”
On Tuesday, Sipes acknowledged that he had applied for the Jacksonville chief’s job and had been offered the position, but said late Tuesday that he and his wife were still debating the issue.
Holland said he encouraged Sipes to remain in Benton, but would respect the chief’s decision.
Holland also said he did not ask for Sipes’ resignation.
“In my opinion, he’s the best thing that’s happened to this [police] department,” Holland said. “He’s the best chief we’ve ever had, and I had hoped he would stay with us.”
Sipes said recent embarrassing circumstances in the police department, which involved the demotion of a female officer in regard to inappropriate behavior, did not play a role in his current situation.
Holland confirmed this. “There are always conflicts in any department. It’s just a career choice that he’s leaving to take the position in Jacksonville,” he said.
Sipes said: “A lot of people think that I’m being forced out. I want it to be clear that I’m not. This job opening came up some time ago, and I simply applied for it, put my resume in for it and got it — before anything happened down here.
“A lot of people think I’ve let a handful of dissenters who don’t want the city to progress to influence my decision,” he added.
He acknowledged that it is indeed “frustrating when a few try to get involved in things they shouldn’t. They didn’t influence me. If that’s true, I shouldn’t be police chief anyway. I’m doing this because my family lives in Jacksonville, my grandchildren live there, all three of my sons graduated there and all still live in the area. It will be closer for me to visit my kids and grandkids.
“I want to say that Mayor Holland has been a true leader of the department. He’s been great to work for. He’s supported me all the way through,and he’s told me that whatever he could do to help me in Jacksonville, he’s willing to do. He’s been great.”
Holland noted that Sipes has some vacation time accumulated and will be available “if we need him until his official date of resignation. The department is running so well now that I feel it will continue right along with Capt. Gaither.”
“We’ve come a long way during his tenure,” the mayor said. “He also took over the reins of code enforcement and brought a lot to the table with that. I think he’s been a great chief for the city,
“He’s brought the department a long way in four years,” Holland added. “The morale is high in the department. We had hoped that he would stay here, but we want what’s best for him and his family.”
The Jacksonville police chief’s job pays about about $8,000 more a year than what Sipes is paid here, Holland said.
Sipes’ base pay in Benton is $59,865, plus benefits that bring his total package to about $69,000. The base pay in Jacksonville reportedly is around $67,000.
Sipes, who will turn 51 on April 11, said he received numerous calls encouraging him to stay and he was greatly touched by the degree of support.
He has served as chief here for slightly more than four years.
Friday was the last day on duty for the former Jacksonville chief, Robert L. Baker, Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim said. “He retired after 30 years with the department and served four years as the chief,” Swaim added.
“There’s always regret in losing someone that has been with the department for a long time,” Swaim said of Baker. “But we are excited to have a new person come in, and we’ll help him make that transition as smooth as possible.”
Sipes came to work in Benton on Jan. 5, 2004. He is a 24-year veteran of the North Little Rock Police Department, retiring from the department in April 1999 to become the city’s code enforcement director.
A Pine Bluff native, Sipes graduated from high school there in 1975.
During his law enforcement career, he served in various capacities. In May 1994 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and assigned to the administrative patrol division, serving as second in command of what was then a 121-member patrol staff. He also served as narcotics division commander, SWAT team commander and community-oriented police commander.
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