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Administration

 

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Sharp County Sheriff 

Shane Russell

Sheriff Shane Russell brings more than 20 years of dedicated law enforcement service to his role. His career began as a reserve officer for Ash Flat PD in 2000, completed the BRTC LETA program while working for the Sharp County Sheriff's office.  Before being elected Sheriff, he served as Chief of Police for the Highland Police Department for 8 years, where he led community policing initiatives and strengthened departmental operations.

Sheriff Russell holds a degree in Criminal Justice and has completed advanced tactical and instructional training. He is SWAT‑certified, an Arkansas trained sniper, and a certified law enforcement instructor. His commitment to excellence has been recognized at the state level: he was named Sharp County Officer of the Year in 2022 and received the Invictus Award from the Commission on Law Enforcement Training in 2025.  He holds his Advanced and Senior Certification in LE training.

Beyond operational duties, Sheriff Russell contributes to the next generation of law enforcement professionals as an advisory board member for the Black River Technical College LETA program. His combination of frontline experience, tactical proficiency, instructional leadership, and community engagement guides his work to keep residents safe and support professional growth across the region.

The philosophy of: "serve first, work hard together, keep safety foremost, and lead with compassion daily." drives his commitment to protect and serve the community he grew up in.

 

 

 

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Chief Deputy
Kevin "Bart" Simpson

Chief Deputy Kevin "Bart" Simpson started his law enforcement career with the Little Rock Police Department on May 7, 1990 and he retired as a Detective on June 1, 2018 after twenty-eight years of service. During the course of his career with the Little Rock Police Department, he spent nearly twenty three years as a Detective with seventeen of those as a Homicide Detective. He is a Certified Law Enforcement Instructor, Firearms Instructor, Range Safety Officer, and Instructor for the University of Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute. On January 1, 2023 he became the Chief Deputy of the Sharp County Sheriffs Office.  He and his wife Jade and his service dog Bouj live in Hardy, Arkansas.