FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A memorial statue was unveiled at the Fayetteville Police Department (FPD) honoring one of their own who was killed in the line of duty.
Officer Stephen Carr was shot and killed on December 7th, 2019 while on duty. A statue memorial honoring the former officer was unveiled outside the entrance of the new FPD on Aug. 22.
“It really just represents Stephen Carr's unwavering sacrifice and dedication, not only to the Fayetteville Police Department but also to our community,” said Fayetteville Police Chief Mike Reynolds.
Chief Reynolds says moving forward, the statue serves as a symbol of hope, justice, and unity.
“Just reminds our officers why they chose to do this job and the enormous responsibility that comes with that. And with that is their values, their integrity, and certainly the courage that it takes to walk in the shoes and in the path that Stephen Carr did,” he said.
At Carr’s funeral, Chief Reynolds made a promise and vow to the community and Carr’s family that they would never forget him.
He felt the statue of Carr is very fitting, capturing Carr as a patrol officer during a moment when he was working on Dickson Street and met an abandoned dog.
“A few weeks later, Steven adopted that dog, he named that dog red. He had a love for life Stephen did, he also had a love for dogs,” he said.
In addition to the new statue, Chief Reynolds says underneath the flags outside the department offices are the names of all officers who have lost their lives FPD. He says it’s important to honor all officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
“As a police chief, and as a community, you never want to experience that again. But the reality is that someday, the Fayetteville Police Department will probably likely lose another officer and we hope to carry that tradition on and honor them in the same way,” he said.
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