Ark. Code Ann. § 14-52-203 (2026)
Duties of police officers
- In a municipality, the duty of the chief of police and other officers of the police department is under the direction of the mayor.
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It is their duty to:
- Suppress a riot, disturbance, or breach of the peace;
- Pursue and arrest a person fleeing from justice in any part of this state;
- Apprehend a person in the act of committing an offense against the laws of the state or the ordinances of the city and forthwith bring the person before the proper authority for trial or examination; and
- Diligently and faithfully enforce at all times all laws, ordinances, and regulations for the preservation of good order and the public welfare as the city council may ordain. For this purpose, the chief of police and other officers of the police department have all the power of constables.
History. Acts 1875, No. 1, § 53, p. 1; C. & M. Dig., § 7704; Pope's Dig., § 9847; A.S.A. 1947, § 19-1705; Acts 2013, No. 726, § 1.
Amendments. The 2013 amendment, in (a), substituted “a municipality” for “cities of the first class” and “is” for “shall be”; substituted “is” for “shall be” in the introductory language of (b); substituted “a riot, disturbance, or breach” for “all riots, disturbances, and breaches” in (b)(1); substituted “a” for the first occurrence of “any” in (b)(2); in (b)(3), substituted “a person” for “any and all persons,” “an offense” for “any offenses,” and “person” for “persons”; and, in (b)(4), deleted “such” preceding “laws” and substituted “the chief of police and other officers of the police department” for “they shall.”
Research References
Ark. L. Rev.
City of Caddo Valley v. George: Stop or I'll Sue! Police Chases and the Price Cities May Pay, 55 Ark. L. Rev. 425 (2002).
Case Notes
Construction with Other Law.
While the day-to-day duties of the chief of police and other officers of the police department in a city of the first and second class are under the direction and general superintendence of the mayor, the city council prescribes the police department's duties and defines its powers, i.e., makes the police department's policy pursuant to § 14-52-101. Brinkley v. City of Helena-West Helena, No. 2:11-cv-00207-SWW, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 116592 (E.D. Ark. Aug. 21, 2014).
Off Duty.
A police officer is, in a sense, on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is not relieved of his obligation to preserve the peace while “off duty.” Gibson v. State, 316 Ark. 705, 875 S.W.2d 58 (1994).
Cited: Meyers v. State, 253 Ark. 38, 484 S.W.2d 334 (1972); State v. Osborn, 263 Ark. 554, 566 S.W.2d 139 (1978).