Our Troopers conduct numerous Officer Violator Contacts (OVCs) daily, uncertain if the person they are walking up on is a law-abiding citizen or someone who is going to try to take their life.
From January 2023 through August 28, 2026, the ASP Highway Patrol Division has made more than 1,026,000 OVCs. During that timeframe, Arkansas Troopers have documented 939 uses of force.* That’s 0.09 percent of all contacts.
All of ASP’s pursuit and use of force videos are promptly released publicly in response to FOIA requests from media outlets and for-profit streamers. The public only sees a small fraction of the videos that are hand-selected by for-profit streamers. The videos are delivered without context and edited to intentionally elicit engagement through likes, comments and sharing.
Recently released videos of use-of-force incidents are being sensationalized and monetized on social media. When streamers determined these videos would generate revenue, they scoured archives and re-released older videos, presenting them as new and creating a false narrative.
These same streamers and media outlets post video footage from mass shootings, re-traumatizing communities, victims and their families.
We will not comment on specific incidents involving use of force with active criminal and civil cases pending. I want to say, however, that any use of force by an ASP Trooper is a regrettable last resort and reviewed carefully.
I also want to offer some perspective to those who are struggling to understand why the use of force is necessary in some instances.
When the public views pursuits and use of force videos, we know the outcome before we hit play. Videos posted on social media arrive with sensational headlines and graphics, baiting viewers to click.
When a Trooper is working in real time, they have no way of knowing how an encounter will end. In the past week alone, we’ve had two Troopers assaulted during routine traffic stops.
Troopers operate in an environment where anxiety and uncertainty are extreme. They accept that as part of the job they have chosen. But they deserve to have their actions evaluated based on the complete circumstances they faced, not solely on the most dramatic moments of the encounter.
All uses of force are driven by two common denominators — unlawful activity and noncompliance. Take those two factors out of the equation, and there will be no incidents for us to explain or debate.
Social media this week gives the inaccurate and unfair impression that use of force is a common occurrence. The frustrating truth is that individuals motivated by profit and seeking public exposure have no concern for the destructive results, which this week include death threats against ASP personnel and their families.
Despite this distraction and disruption, we remain mission-focused. We will continue to highlight the good work of our agency, and have been encouraged by an outpouring of support for our Troopers. The safety of Arkansans will always be our top priority.
— Colonel Mike Hagar, Director – Arkansas State Police
*The Arkansas State Police defines use of force as actions a Trooper takes to control, restrain, detain, arrest, or stop a person when necessary.
Use of force may include oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray, conducted electrical weapons, tire-deflation devices, less-lethal impact projectiles, police canines, or intentionally using a patrol vehicle to disable another vehicle or force it off the road.
Use of force also includes striking a person with an object and the intentional discharge of a firearm.
September 1, 2026