SHERWOOD, Ark. — Newly obtained body camera footage reveals tense moments between a Sherwood police officer and a Pulaski County Sheriff’s deputy, which ultimately led to the deputy’s arrest and subsequent termination, according to internal investigation records obtained from the sheriff’s office.
The June 13 incident began as a noise complaint on Austin Oaks Drive a little after 8 p.m.
Officers soon encountered the man who lives at the home, Robert ‘Bobby’ Ward, who identified himself as a deputy with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office.
No excessive noise could be heard as officers arrived at the home.
In the body camera footage, Ward appears to become uncooperative as officers ask for a phone number. Ward asks the officers “why” a couple times before asking how long they have been on the force.
Ward’s wife, who identifies herself as a Searcy police employee, appears to try calming her husband down several times.
Ward is then heard on camera calling the Sherwood officers “rookies” and other names riddled with curse words.
After asking Ward to stop cursing, Ward curses again prompting the Sherwood officers to initiate an arrest. Screaming and a physical takedown can be heard as officers take Ward to the ground and place handcuffs on him.
Ward is then seen covered in blood as medics arrive to bandage him up and take him to a hospital.
In internal investigation documents, Ward says he was diagnosed with a concussion and nerve damage with a recovery timetable that could take anywhere from six to eight months.
He was eventually cited for three crimes: Public Intoxication, Disorderly Conduct and Resisting Arrest, according to police records.
The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office launched an internal investigation and interviewed Ward, his wife, the Sherwood officers involved and neighbors who witnessed part of the incident.
During the internal investigation, Ward stated that he takes full responsibility for what happened but also stated “The conduct is not me…that is not how I act. I don’t know what happened…”
In August, Ward was fired from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office for violating three codes of conduct during the incident.
According to Ward’s personnel file, he previously worked as a police officer for the North Little Rock Police Department from 1997 to 2016.
We reached out to Ward’s wife and his attorney who all declined to comment.
The Sherwood Police Department and the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office declined comment as well.
