Col. Winford Phillips, director of the State Police, is retiring at the end of this week. Here’s his letter to the governor.
Gov. Mike Beebe will pick a successor. Speculation turns first to a man with Searcy background, a retired State Police commander and former state Crime Lab director, J.R. Howard. But another candidate is the No. 2 man at the agency, Lt. Col. Tim K’Nuckles.
Said the governor:
Win Phillips was enjoying retired life in 2007 when I called to ask him to serve his beloved State one more time as Colonel of the Arkansas State Police. He admirably carried out that duty throughout my first term as governor, and he is now ready to resume that well-deserved retirement. On behalf of all of our citizens, I thank Win for his lifelong dedication to law enforcement and the State of Arkansas.
More than halfway through his eight years as governor, Beebe might, some think, also be weighing some other administrative changes.