Crossett, Arkansas, names Shaq Thompson its first Black police chief

Crossett has picked a new police chief and made history doing it. City leaders chose Shaq Thompson to run the department. No Black officer had held that job before in the south Arkansas town.

Known for showing up

He takes over from Clint Bradberry, who stepped down over the summer. Mayor Crystal Marshall said the new chief stood out for his leadership and for the way he has served residents. She said he leads by example for his officers and the public. He even volunteers to run the scoreboard at local football games.

Marshall said community policing is close to her heart and that Thompson has made it a priority. Under that approach officers build ties with the neighborhoods they patrol and work with residents to head off problems.

Working harder to prove it

The new chief said he intends to keep pushing hard and wants residents to have a real voice in how the city makes decisions. He also spoke openly about what the title means to him. Because of who he is and the color of his skin, he said, he feels he has to work harder to prove himself than some people do. So he keeps working hard and keeps striving.

A mill town turns a page

Crossett sits in Ashley County near the Louisiana line. It grew up around a giant lumber and paper operation more than a century ago and is still known as a mill town. Several thousand people live there.

For a town of its size the choice is a milestone. City leaders say they expect his neighbor-first style to shape how the whole department works with the people it serves.