Arkansas State Police will use an additional $1.2 million in federal pandemic relief funds for Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ security detail, following final approval from lawmakers on Friday, September 20, 2024.
Col. Mike Hagar, who leads the state police force, sent a letter to the secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration on August 31 asking that $1.2 million from the state’s American Rescue Plan Act funds be allocated to the agency’s executive protection detail.
“Arkansas State Police will protect any Governor and their family in accordance with state law,” Hagar said in a statement upon lawmakers’ approval. “We constantly reevaluate and update our methods and procedures based on numerous factors, including the number of protectees and threat level, which vary with each administration and from day to day.”…