Honoring the heroes in blue
On Friday the Benton Police Department held a promotion and award ceremony at the Benton Event Center.
Chief Scotty Hodges gives Officer Kaitlyn Fleetwood her plaque for Officer of the Year. Hodges surprised Fleetwood after making her think he had left her off the list for the Life Saving Award, which she also earned. He then announced the current school resource officer has been selected as Benton's first female member of the SWAT team.
The members of the honor guard prepare to present colors at the start of the the ceremony.
Chaplain Tamara Gore leads a prayer while Chief Scotty Hodges looks on. She closed with the Police Officer's Prayer.
Captain Scotty Hodges looks on while Officer Seth Hopkins is pinned for his promotion to patrol sergeant while surrounded by family.
Benton Mayor Tom Farmer spoke to thank the men and women who serve and praise them for the work they do.
Mayor Tom Farmer, right, looks on as Chief Scotty Hodges presents the Citizens Achievement Award to Carl West, center, whose daughter, Caitilyn, 6, joined him on stage. He was given the award because on June 5, 2020 when he saw a man jump from the back of an ambulance and began trying to get into occupied cars at Taco Bell he went to help. West restrained the man and helped police subdue him.
Assistant Police Chief Jeff Besancon, left, and Chief Scotty Hodges present Captain Eric Haworth with the 2020 Top Gun Award. This is the fourth year he has won the award.Â
Captain Eric Haworth reads the names of the recipients of the Life Saving Awards  and the actions they did to earn the award. The first group of recipients were, from left, Nick Anderson, Michael Collins, Hayden Bolding, Tierra Coffey and Stacy Jones.Â
The second group of Life Saving Award winners are, from left, Jacob Griffith, Matthew Kuntz, Miles French and Joseph McKinley. Not pictured is Joanna Sanchez.Â
