Gary Sipes made up his mind. He’s leaving after more than four years as Benton’s police chief to become the new police chief at Jacksonville.
Sipes announced his decision Wednesday morning, contrary to an erroneous report in another newspaper that said he had accepted the Jacksonville offer on Monday. Sipes labored over his decision into the night Tuesday.
Apparently, we’re among a host of people who are not particularly happy to see Sipes leave; he said he received a tremendous amount of support from residents — some of whom he’d not heard from previously — after news of Sipes’ possible departure appeared in the Courier.
Yet, we can understand why Sipes is saddling up and riding out of town.
More times than not, decisions like the one Sipes faced are based on money and location — quality-of-life factors that figure into most career moves. But, comments from Sipes and others, however vague, were an indication that Sipes’ decision was not based entirely on money or location. That seems a bit odd when you consider that the Jacksonville offer reportedly pays about $8,000 more annually, and that Sipes has continued to live in the Little Rock area and has relatives in Jacksonville.
Sadly enough, what helped lead Sipes to a city that, in our opinion, does not offer a quality of life as nice as Benton is Benton’s political climate.
Sipes, Mayor Rick Holland and some other city officials weren’t saying much about this for — what else? — political reasons. None of them, however, completely dismissed the notion that Sipes grew weary from the badgering by some people, including a couple of aldermen and their agenda-driven, anti-Holland cohorts who stay busy behind the scenes.
We believe, based on what we have been told, that some people may be more candid in coming days with their comments about what they perceive as the political downfall of the police chief. Or, they may choose to move forward and not lower themselves to the level of others.
It’s never been a secret that there are some people connected to city government, both present and past, who are not entirely supportive of the city’s public safety personnel. Yes, that is difficult to imagine, but it’s true. That’s one reason why the Citizens’ Public Safety Committee was formed late last year, to help identify and support the needs of the city’s public safety employees.
And while we are on the subject of opposition, let’s be honest about something else: Sipes was brought in by Holland, as the third police chief in this administration, and Holland’s detractors have been forever mindful of that. No matter how well Sipes was doing in his capacity as police chief, he remained, to some, connected to Holland, a mayor who has had to combat political infighting virtually every day of his two terms.
Not that there is anything unusual about political infighting; there isn’t. We all know, however, that there are times when people in Benton carry it too far. These people seem to take delight in trying to make life unbearable at times. It’s local politics at its petty, most self-serving best. And now, the process has helped take a toll on Benton’s police chief.
So, while a higher salary was a consideration for Sipes, along with location, consider this: Jacksonville has a stable, experienced and cohesive City Council that, we are told, wholeheartedly supports public safety.
Sipes reportedly has been slapped around politically since the recent issue surfaced concerning a female officer who was disciplined for inappropriate behavior. The veteran officer was suspended and demoted. Sipes said he consulted with numerous people in deciding how to discipline the officer. Ultimately, he said, he did what he felt was right and just, while at the same time salvaging the career of a good police officer.
That wasn’t good enough for some. The issue served as fresh ammunition for people who criticized him for being too lenient with his discipline. “The police department is a shambles!” the critics exclaimed. “Nothing but rampant mischief! Officers out of control! No leadership!”
As if officers at law enforcement agencies anywhere haven’t used bad judgment on occasion?
Well, the critics can stop criticizing now. They can save their energy — possibly for the new chief, who, based on the past political behavior of some people, will attract instant opposition simply because he will be hired during the Holland administration.
We join the community in thanking Chief Sipes for his service to Benton. We wish him well in his new position at Jacksonville. We believe he will serve that city well. He is a chief who cares about the people who protect and serve. He cares for their well-being both on duty and off. He asks them to serve as worthy representatives of the city. He cares, as does Fire Chief Ben Blankenship, that public safety personnel have not received pay increases from the city in many months. He does not understand how some city officials can spend time wrangling over issues that don’t need added political drama, yet these officials cannot put forth a plan to better pay police and fire personnel in a timely manner. It’s all frustrating.
As the chief exits, we have but one request of the veteran law enforcement official: Could you take with you the people who at times helped make life difficult for you? It sure would improve the quality of life politically around here.

Today’s editorial ws written by Whit Jones, editor of the Courier.
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