A press release from Third Judicial Prosecuting Attorney Henry Boyce says former Hardy Police Chief Scott Rose will not face any criminal charges following an Arkansas State Police investigation requested by the Hardy Mayor Jason Jackson..
Mayor Jackson alleged that Rose sold police equipment that was donated to the Hardy Police Department without approval from Jackson and the city reportedly did not receive any of the money from the sale.
According to the summary, three bar lights and sirens boxes were donated to Hardy from the Jonesboro Police Department. Rose told investigators that one of the lights bars did not work, so he gave it to part-time Hardy police officer Casey Poulette.
Jackson also alleges that Rose purchased police equipment for the City of Hardy through his own private business and received commissions or bonuses based on those purchases. Former Chief Rose told investigators that his business, CDS Marketing, never purchased equipment for the City of Hardy during his employment with the city “because he knew it would be a conflict of interest if he used his company to make commissions on city purchases.”
The investigation summary does note that auditors did find documentation showing that one vehicle purchased by the City of Hardy did go through Rose’s business to be sold. A 2010 Dodge Charger was bought by Scott’s Auto Sales, which Rose owns, on Feb. 4, 2016 for $5,200. That is shown on the original bill of sale, title, and check used to buy the vehicle. A copy of that title shows Scott’s Auto Sales marked out and changed to Danny’s Auto Sales for the buyer.
On Feb. 12, 2016, that Charger was then sold to the City of Hardy by Danny’s Auto Sales for $6,250. When questioned about this, Rose said he was asked to sell the vehicle to the city but did not want it done through his car dealership because it “would look bad.” So he ran the sale through Danny Holder’s business, Danny’s Auto Sales of Imboden. Rose stated Holder was aware of what Rose was doing and was okay with it. Rose also said he signed Holder’s name on the title, with Holder’s permission. Rose also provided a receipt from Al Brogdon detailing $1,050 worth of repairs that were done on the vehicle prior to selling it to the City of Hardy. He said those repair costs were included in the price for the city, meaning Rose did not make a profit off of the sale.
The third allegation was that Rose filed a false police report about damage to a Hardy Police Department patrol unit. Former Chief Rose said Ashton Hester used his patrol vehicle one night and during his shift Hester bottom the vehicle out. A repair shop eventually identified damage to the motor, so Rose said he contacted the Municipal League, who told him to complete an accident report. Rose said he finished the report and told Tamara Taylor that he was going to put her down as the driver since Hester no longer worked for the city. Taylor reportedly told Rose she was not comfortable with that.
“I am confident I changed it to Ashton Hester, but I can’t swear to it,” Rose said, according to the summary. Rose said he did not know Taylor’s name was still on the report to the Municipal League and that he did not intentionally defraud anyone, but that the name on the report would not have changed the outcome of the insurance claim. Henry Boyce said in a press release that after reviewing Arkansas State Police Investigator Joe Pickett’s investigation and speaking with the regional supervisor of the Arkansas Division of Legislative Audit, he declined to prosecute Rose on the allegations.
Mayor Jackson said Monday afternoon that the City of Hardy did not have any official comment on the decision.
Below you can read the full investigative summary: