Michael Ford
Service Record
Little Rock Arkansas Police Department
| Rank | Lieutenant[1] |
| Dates of Service | Hired in 2003. Sergeant (2014).[2] Lieutenant (2016).[3] |
| Last Known Status | Active[4] |
Incident Reports
2008 Death of William Spradling
On July 16, 2008, officers were called to speak with Spradling and his girlfriend about their possible involvement in the theft of a handgun.[5]
It was described that officers attempted to arrest Spradling without a warrant. When Spradling resisted, officers threw him to the ground and, believing that he had a gun, shot him in the back. Spradling died at the scene.[5]
Response Timeline
An internal investigation cleared the officers of any wrong-doing.[5]
On November 5, 2012, Spradling's family filed a lawsuit against the officers, claiming the use of excessive force and a conspiracy by officers to cover up their mistakes, resulting in violations of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, wrongful death, and negligence.[5][6]
On April 23, 2015, the lawsuit was re-filed, naming the city and citing previously undisclosed audio and video evidence.[7]
In October 2017, the 2012 lawsuit was dismissed as the three-year statute of limitations had expired.[5]
On November 22, 2017, a notice to appeal was filed.[8]
On January 8, 2019, the appeal was denied, stating that the family had been made aware of the existence of the recordings.[6]
2009 Off-Duty Shooting
In April 2009, Ford was off-duty but in uniform when he saw two men breaking into cars. When he confronted the men, one of them got into a vehicle and drove at him. Ford shot at the vehicle.[9]
2020 Discharging a Weapon
On January 1, 2020, Ford was accused of firing 45-60 rounds from an AR-15 into the sky on New Year's Day. Ford initially denied shooting from his property and owning an AR-15 style rifle.[10]
Body-worn camera footage from the responding officers was released.[11]
Response Timeline
On January 23, 2020, Ford told internal affairs that he was drunk when he lied about the shooting.[12]
On May 20, 2020, a hearing was held for Ford to address charges of failing to provide his name, conduct unbecoming, untruthfulness, and willful misrepresentation.[12]
On July 2, 2020, Ford was suspended for two days without pay.[13]
2021 DWI
On December 3, 2021, Ford was involved in a single-car crash.[1]
Response Timeline
On December 3, 2021, Ford was placed on administrative leave.[1]
On December 3, 2021, Ford was arrested and charged with careless and prohibited driving, driving while intoxicated, and refusal to submit to a chemical test.[1]
On April 14, 2022, Ford pleaded guilty to refusing to submit to a chemical test, and no contest to the charge of driving while intoxicated. The charge of careless and prohibited driving was dropped.[14]
Ford was sentenced to one day in jail.[4]
By April 21, 2022, Ford returned to active duty in a different role in the department.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Little Rock lieutenant charged with DWI after single-car crash along I-430, THV 11, 2021-12-03
- ↑ Scott Carroll, Little Rock officer embraces new job as spokesman, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 2017-10-23
- ↑ Brianna Kwasnik, Little Rock police lieutenant arrested on DWI charge following I-430 crash, state police say, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 2021-12-03
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Little Rock police lieutenant back on duty after DWI conviction; internal investigation still open, Arkansas Online, 2022-04-23
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Emma Pettit, Lawsuit on fatal Little Rock police shooting tossed, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 2017-10-27
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Spradling v. Hastings, U.S. Court of Appeals, 2019-01-08
- ↑ Spradling Complaint, U.S. District Court, 2015-04-23
- ↑ Linda Satter, Lawyer to appeal tossed case; will take lawsuit in ’08 Little Rock police slaying to 8th Circuit, he says, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 2017-11-23
- ↑ John Lynch, Trial set in 2009 stoplight slayings, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 2011-06-04
- ↑ Little Rock Police Lieutenant accused of firing multiple rounds into air on New Year's Day, KATV, 2020-01-13
- ↑ LRPD Internal Investigation brands Lt. Michael "Lil' Bang" Ford a liar, Bad City of Little Rock, 2020-10-07
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Hayward Finks, Internal Investigation, Police Department Memorandum, 2020-05-27
- ↑ Keith Humphrey, Suspension Memo, Chief of Police, 2020-07-02
- ↑ Grant Lancaster, Little Rock police lieutenant found guilty of December DWI charge, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 2022-04-15
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