Ashdown Arkansas Police Department

06/10/2026

06/09/2026

06/03/2026

🛜 🛡️June is Internet Safety Month 🛜 🛡️

As technology continues to play a larger role in our lives, it’s important to remember that online safety starts at home.

Internet Safety Month is a reminder for parents, guardians and caregivers to have regular conversations with our youth about how to remain safe while using the internet.

Remember to watch video games, social media, and your child. Look for red flags and make sure they’re staying safe online.

Our goal is to inspire frequent and open conversations between parents and children.

If you notice any discrepancies contact our ICAC investigators.

05/16/2026

Seat Belts Saves Lives
Buckle Up May 18 – May 31, and Every Day

Ashdown, AR — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is urging drivers to buckle up ahead of the Click It or Ticket seat belt safety campaign. The national high-visibility seat belt enforcement effort, which coincides with the Memorial Day holiday, runs May 18-31, 2026.

Seat belt use should be an automatic habit for drivers and passengers alike. During the Click It or Ticket campaign, we’ll be working with our fellow law enforcement officers across local and state lines to ensure the message gets out to drivers and passengers. Not buckling up could mean a ticket, or worse, risking a life.

In 2024, there were 9,758 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes. The national seat belt use rate in 2024 was 91.2%, which is good — but it can be better. The other 8.8% still need to be reminded that seat belts save lives. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night.

One of the focuses of the Click It or Ticket seat belt campaign is nighttime enforcement. NHTSA data shows a higher number of unrestrained occupant fatalities happen at night (56% between the hours of 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m.). Of the males killed in crashes in 2023, more than half (53%) were unrestrained. For females killed in crashes, 41% were not buckled up.

Buckle Up the Right Way

Place the shoulder belt across the middle of the chest and away from the neck.
Lay the lap belt across the hips and not the stomach.
NEVER place the seat belt behind the back or under arms.

We are asking friends and family to remind each other to buckle up in the front and back seats and to consider changing their habits if they don’t. Seat belts save lives, and everyone — front seat and back, child and adult — needs to remember to buckle up.

For more information on the Click It or Ticket seat belt high-visibility enforcement campaign, please visit NHTSA.gov/ClickIt.

04/25/2026

Career Day at Ashdown High School. Glad we were able to be a part of it. Ashdown has a bright future and a great group of kids!!!!

04/16/2026

Ashdown,AR— Ahead of April 20, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reminding drivers that it’s illegal in every state and territory to drive under the influence of drugs. On “420” — a number associated with ma*****na — some might observe a day of increased ma*****na use. But, no matter the day, the message is the same: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different.

Driving while impaired by any substance — legal or illegal — puts you and others in harm’s way. It’s a common and dangerous misconception that people drive better when they are high.

Driving high has serious and deadly consequences. A NHTSA study, from 2019-2021, showed that 26% of drivers seriously injured or killed in crashes tested positive for ma*****na.

If someone sees a friend who is about to drive high, they should take away the keys and help them get a sober ride home. And, if anyone spots an impaired driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.
Drugs, including ma*****na, affect driving abilities, which puts everyone on the road at risk. It has been proven that ma*****na can slow reaction times, impair cognitive performance, and make it more difficult for drivers to keep a steady position in their lane. These are all unsafe driving behavior that can cause serious injuries or death in a crash.

A key to preventing impaired driving is to plan ahead. Designating a sober driver — that’s someone who won’t be drinking or using drugs — is one option. Other options include booking a rideshare or using a taxi.

Join NHTSA in sharing the lifesaving message, If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. For more information on drug-impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drug-impaired-driving.

04/13/2026

There have been multiple reports of scam calls from different parts of Arkansas involving an individual impersonating the Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

The caller identifies himself as “Officer Jackson” with ICAC (internet Crimes Against Children) and leaves messages directing individuals to return a call regarding an unspecified issue. In at least one instance, the caller advised that a warrant would be issued if the individual did not respond. The calls have originated from numbers including 501-777-6011 and 501-777-0611.

This appears to be a scam attempt using ICAC’s name and authority. For clarity, the ICAC Task Force does not contact individuals to notify them that they are the target of an investigation or request that they return calls under threat of arrest.

Please contact the Ashdown Police Department at 870-898-5640, if you are contacted by any individual making these request.

04/03/2026

Ashdown, AR— The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Put the Phone Away or Pay campaign is reminding drivers of the deadly dangers and legal consequences — including fines — of texting and other forms of messaging behind the wheel. From April 9-13, 2026, law enforcement nationwide will work together to enforce laws prohibiting distracted driving behind the wheel. These efforts come during National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

Cell phone use, texting and other activities that don’t contribute to safe driving are all forms of distracted driving. In 49 states, including Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands, texting while driving is illegal. According to NHTSA, in 2022 there were 3,308 people killed and an estimated additional 289,310 people injured in traffic crashes involving distracted drivers. However, data collection limitations show that these figures are likely lower than the real figures.

Distracted driving, mainly cell phone use, remains a major contributor to serious and fatal crashes. It is dangerous, it is illegal, and it puts everyone on the road at risk. Our officers will increase enforcement and stop and ticket anyone who is texting and driving. If you drive distracted, you will face the consequences.

Violating Arkansas’s distracted-driving laws can be costly.

Safe driving can be adopted by these phone-free driving habits:

· Pull over and park in a safe location before using the phone to send or read a text message.
· Ask a passenger to be the “designated texter” and allow them to manage calls and messages during the drive.
· Avoid social media scrolling and any form of messaging while behind the wheel.
· Use “Do Not Disturb” mode to silence notifications.
· Drivers can put their phone in the trunk, glove box or back seat of the vehicle to break the habit of driving distracted.

For more information on distracted driving, visit NHTSA.gov/Distracted.

04/01/2026

The Ashdown Police Department would like to thank Ledwell & Son Enterprises for donating a side by side to our department.