Arkansas Police Department 'Shouldn't Exist'

Turrell, AR - A week after an arrest warrant was issued for the Turrell Arkansas Police Chief we have found a strange twist to the story. A city councilman says they fired that same police chief months ago. The councilman also says a city police department was never approved or funded.

The city councilman says he has no idea how the police officers in Turrell are being paid or how the force is operating. But that doesn't seem to be stopping the officers from patrolling the streets.

The Crittenden County Sheriff's Office says it has confiscated all weapons from 49-year old Greg Martin. Martin, the Turrell Arkansas Police Chief, is facing two aggravated assault charges after allegedly pulling a gun on city councilman Floyd Holmes' wife, inside her home last week.

According to Sheriff's Deputies, Martin was asked by the Mayor to investigate an "incident at city hall" where Floyd Holmes and fellow city councilman Emanual Harris, asked for the city's financial records and their $100 paycheck for serving on city council. Harris says, "It was a peaceful thing, nothing out of the ordinary happened."

But Harris doesn't know how Martin can be investigating anything, because both Harris and Holmes say a police department in Turrell, Arkansas shouldn't even exist. Harris says, "We did not budget any money for the police department but they're still up and operating every day."

The council members also say they fired Chief Martin months ago, only to see the Mayor hire him back. Harris wouldn't say why the chief was fired. Harris says, "We fired the police chief, he overturned it, we did veto and over did his veto but he still brought him back."

Harris says he doesn't know how Martin or any of the other Turrell police officers are being paid. Martin has since bonded out of jail, although his status with the Police Department is unknown.

The Mayor did not return our phone call for comment Monday. A sign hanging outside City Hall, says the Police Department will not be involved in any business dealings with the Mayor or City Council. It goes on to say "Badges and patches on Oficer’s uniforms say Police Officer, not babysitter!!!"

Harris says, "I want to see something or somebody come in and do something, it's not right."

We tried calling the Turrell Police Department several times Monday but no one answered.

As Fox 13 has reported, Arkansas State Police have been investigating where the city's money is being kept. The mayor admits he's moved it out of Turrell, but he won't say where.