April 2, 2025
BILOXI, MISS. – The Arkansas State Police’s Interstate Criminal Patrol (ICP) team received multiple accolades, including Agency of the Year, Officer of the Year, and Largest Cash Seizure at the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Awards in Biloxi, Miss., on April 1, 2025.
The team was recognized as the 2024 Agency of the Year for successfully seizing illegal narcotics with a street value of $32,250,476, confiscating 25 vehicles, and recovering $4.1 million in cash.
Trooper Ana Escamilla was named 2024 Officer of the Year for netting 21 drug seizures and seven currency seizures, amounting to a combined street value of $4,984,884. Additionally, Trooper Escamilla made 27 arrests, seized seven vehicles, and confiscated two weapons.
Corporal Chris Short received recognition for the 2024 largest cash seizure, totaling $813,490, made during a single traffic stop in Crawford County.
“I am extremely proud of the exemplary work our Troopers assigned to the ICP teams perform every day to safeguard the public from those who traffic illegal narcotics in our state,” said ASP Director Col. Mike Hagar. “These awards emphasize the ICP’s commitment to aggressively combat drug trafficking and criminal activities on Arkansas’ interstates and highways.”
ASP’s ICP team was recognized in 2022 and 2023 as Team of the Year, and this was the third consecutive year an ASP Trooper was named Officer of the Year.
