09/28/2026
Let’s talk about addiction, recovery, and recidivism.
Throughout my life, I’ve seen firsthand how addiction impacts not just individuals, but families, friends, and entire communities.
After I got out of the Army, I struggled with the transition back into civilian life. For a time, I used alcohol to self-medicate and avoid dealing with things I wasn’t prepared to face. I was fortunate to have a strong family support system, and I’ve now been sober for nearly a decade.
But I’ve also seen the other side of addiction. I’ve watched men I served with struggle. I’ve lost battle buddies, friends, and even my own sister to addiction.
Here in Lonoke County, we are not immune.
I hear from people across our community who say drug use is a serious problem here. Behind that problem are real people. Sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, husbands and wives. And behind many of them are families who desperately want to see someone they love get the help they need.
Lonoke County currently has a court-ordered diversion and reentry program operated through the Sheriff’s Office called P.A.C.T., or Peers Achieving Collaborative Treatment.
Over the last several months, I’ve had the opportunity to meet with the Peer Recovery team, including Coordinator Michael Springer, and learn more about the work they’re doing.
P.A.C.T. is a three-phase program available to individuals who meet specific criteria as part of a court-appointed process. It combines recovery with accountability and, importantly, peer support from people who understand the struggle because they have lived it themselves.
The men and women leading this program are examples of what can happen when people are given the right tools and an opportunity to change their lives.
The program has been revamped over the last five years and continues to grow. Roughly 185 individuals have participated, and according to information provided to me by the program, approximately 74% have either graduated, remain active in the program, or have continued in recovery.
But the work doesn’t end when someone walks out the door.
The P.A.C.T. team continues supporting people after they leave the program. They’ve helped participants graduate, find full-time employment, obtain driver’s licenses, and work toward reunification with their families. They’re also involved in community outreach and education aimed at reaching people before they become further involved in the criminal justice system.
Those things matter.
Recovery matters to the individual and the family who loves them. And when people have the tools to build stable, productive lives, it reduces repeat involvement with the criminal justice system and benefits the entire community.
Throughout this campaign, I’ve said that the programs, policies, and spending within the Sheriff’s Office should be reviewed to ensure they are operating effectively and serving the best interests of Lonoke County.
That includes looking closely at what is working.
If elected sheriff, I intend to continue supporting the P.A.C.T. program, its peer specialists, and its participants, while looking for additional grants, partnerships, and opportunities to strengthen and expand the resources available for recovery and reentry.
Accountability and compassion are not opposites.
We can hold people accountable while also recognizing that recovery is possible. We can address crime while helping people break the cycles that bring them back into the criminal justice system.
Because every person who successfully rebuilds their life means something to a family.
And stronger families help build a safer, stronger Lonoke County.
