An Assessment Center for the rank of lieutenant was performed by CPS HR Consulting on August 30-31, 2017.
At the conclusion of the testing process, the City of Fort Smith’s Civil Service Commission produced a certified list of candidates ranked by total accumulated points.
From the current list of candidates, Fort Smith Police Chief Nathaniel Clark made the following promotions during a ceremony held on Friday, September 30.
These officers shall serve as the first Police Lieutenants for the City of Fort Smith
This special day served as a milestone in the 129-year history of the Fort Smith Police Department.
Lt. Daniel Grubbs
Lt. Daniel Grubbs began his career with the Fort Smith Police Department in July of 1999. He is a certified Law Enforcement Instructor and Firearms Instructor. He has served as a patrol officer, bicycle officer, street crimes detective, property crimes task force detective, patrol sergeant, and administrative sergeant. He served on the SWAT Team from 2003 to 2011.
Since 2009, he has served the Fort Smith Police Department in the Office of Public Affairs, assigned to the Administrative Services Division. He serves as the official spokesperson for the department, and as the Assistant SWAT Team Commander. His other assigned duties consist of supervising Central Records, Evidence Unit, Accounting, Information Desk, as well as, ensuring compliance with any and all Freedom of Information Act requests.
Prior to employment with the department, he attended Rich Mountain Community College, Northeastern State University, Henderson State University, and the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. He is blessed with a strong and supportive wife, and they have four wonderful children.
Lt. Jason Thompson
Lieutenant Jason Thompson started his career with the Fort Smith Police Department on May 8th, 2006. Lieutenant Thompson was assigned to the Patrol Division after completing the academy. During his time in the Patrol Division he was awarded a Life Saving Award in 2009.
He became a Field Training Officer in 2011 and was named the Fort Smith Police Department’s Officer of the Year in 2012.
Lt. George “Don” Cobb
Lieutenant Thompson was promoted to Sergeant in November of 2014. He was assigned to the Patrol Division and served as a Patrol Sergeant on Troop 3 until October 2015 when he transferred to Troop 1. Lieutenant Thompson most recently graduated from the University of Arkansas’s CJI School of Law Enforcement Supervision in May of 2016.
Lieutenant Thompson has been married to his wonderful wife Christy for 9 years. They have three daughters, Blair, Braylee and Brinley.
Lieutenant Jason Thompson started his career with the Fort Smith Police Department on May 8th, 2006. Lieutenant Thompson was assigned to the Patrol Division after completing the academy. During his time in the Patrol Division he was awarded a Life Saving Award in 2009.
He became a Field Training Officer in 2011 and was named the Fort Smith Police Department’s Officer of the Year in 2012.
Lieutenant Thompson was promoted to Sergeant in November of 2014. He was assigned to the Patrol Division and served as a Patrol Sergeant on Troop 3 until October 2015 when he transferred to Troop 1. Lieutenant Thompson most recently graduated from the University of Arkansas’s CJI School of Law Enforcement Supervision in May of 2016.
Lieutenant Thompson has been married to his wonderful wife Christy for 9 years. They have three daughters, Blair, Braylee and Brinley.
Lt. Richard “Doug’ Brooks
Lieutenant Richard “Doug” Brooks was hired at the Fort Smith Police Department on September 21, 1998. Prior to becoming a police officer, he worked professionally as a nationally registered paramedic at Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center.
During his tenure with the Fort Smith Police Department, he has served as a patrolman, field training officer, narcotics detective, patrol operations supervisor, and narcotics supervisor. Currently, he serves as a supervisor with the Office of Professional Standards.
Lieutenant Brooks attended Henderson State University where he completed his paramedic training. He has also attended the University of Arkansas - Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. He has completed the Criminal Justice Institute’s School of Law Enforcement Supervision and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Drug Unit Commander’s Academy. Lieutenant Brooks is a certified Law Enforcement Instructor and certified Firearms Instructor. He teaches at the Fort Smith Police Academy and is active in the community, most notably as a member of the Riverview Hope Campus Board of Directors.
Lieutenant Brooks grew up in Fort Smith and is a lifelong citizen of the River Valley. He has been married to his wife, Kimberly for fourteen years. Together they have a daughter, Rily and between them, they have four adult sons, Tyler, Joseph, Alex, and Peyton. Alex’s wife Dustin, recently gave birth to Lieutenant Brooks first grandchild, Lane.
Lt. Dewey Young
Lieutenant Dewey Young started his career with the Fort Smith Police Department on December 27th, 1999, after serving in the United States Army as an Airborne Infantryman. After completing the academy Lieutenant Dewey Young was assigned to Troop 2 in patrol and worked in that capacity until May of 2004 when he was selected to work in the Criminal investigations Division.
While in CID Lieutenant Dewey Young worked as a Property Crimes Detective, led a Property Crimes Task Force, and worked Major Cases until his promotion to the rank of Sergeant in September of 2008. Once promoted, he was transferred to Troop 3 in Patrol.
Lieutenant Dewey Young is a certified Field Training Officer, Firearms Instructor, Law Enforcement Instructor, and served on the Fort Smith Police Department’s S.W.A.T. Team for 11 years where he became a certified explosive breacher and sniper.
Lieutenant Dewey Young has been married to his beautiful wife, Melani Young, for 19 years. They have three children, Nathaniel Young, Michael Young, and Zayden Young.
Lt. Thomas “Wes ” Milam
Lieutenant Wes Milam began his career with the Fort Smith Police Department in December of 2002. He worked night shift patrol until transferring to the Traffic Unit in January 2007, where he became a collision re-constructionist and a drug recognition expert.
While assigned to this unit, Lt. Milam earned his instructor certification in DWI Detection, Standardized Field Sobriety Training, and Drug Recognition Expert. Lt. Milam then transferred to the Training Unit and began teaching multiple subjects for the Basic Police Academy, such as firearms, taser, baton, OC spray, and collision investigation. He also taught departmental training courses in addition to multiple classes statewide for the Criminal Justice Institute.
Lt. Milam became the Crime Prevention Officer in 2012, coordinating the Citizen’s Police Academy and teaching such topics as Crime Prevention through Environmental Design, Active Shooter Awareness, and other courses designed to assist citizens to reduce crime and victimization in our community. In October 2015 he was promoted to Sergeant and returned to night shift patrol for several months before taking over as the Communications Unit/911 Supervisor in June 2016.
He also is the Crisis Negotiator team leader, Drug Recognition Expert agency coordinator, and Collision Reconstruction unit supervisor.
Lieutenant Milam earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Arkansas Fort Smith, a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Arkansas Little Rock, and is currently in his second year of earning a doctoral degree in Public Administration from Valdosta State University. Lt. Milam also is an adjunct professor of criminal justice at UAFS since November 2014. He and his wife, Barrett, have been married for five years.
Lt. James Hays
Lieutenant James Hays started his career with the Fort Smith Police Department on January 7, 1992. He served as a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Motor Officer, and Criminal Investigator before being promoted on May 25, 2002, where he then served as a Sergeant in Patrol, Traffic, and Training.
During that same time period, he also served as a Reserve Deputy for the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office for almost 11 years.
He has an Associate Degree in Business from Carl Albert State College, has been a Criminal Justice Major working on his Bachelor Degree at Northeastern State University, and holds several law enforcement instructor certifications.
He was responsible for coordinating the first Basic Police Training Academy held in Fort Smith, starting in 2006, and has coordinated all 16 that have been held since then, including the class that is currently in session. That course has hosted over 230 officers from 27 area agencies.
He has been married to his wife Deborah for 29 years, who has supported him in his career choice from day one.
