Winters reflects on upbringing looks to future for ACIC

We’re all about officer safety and citizen

safety. So the more we know about a person the better chance there will be a positive result from that encounter or traffic stop or call.

— Jay Winters

Winters reflects on upbringing, looks to future for ACIC

By Scott Perkins County Lines Editor

He would be tested early in life. That test came in the loss of his father before he turned 16 years old.

Jay B. Winters, Sr., director of the Arkansas Crime Information Center, says his Christian upbringing was the most influential factor that helped mold who he is today.

His father’s battle with Cancer would help strengthen that faith and put a 15-year-old Winters in a position to take on a grown-up role in his family’s life.

“I learned some responsibility after my dad died,” Winters said. “We lived in Illinois when he died and he knew he was dying and he had told me he wanted us to move back to Arkansas.”

Winters, his brother and mom moved back to more familiar area after his father’s death and Winters credits Pope County residents A.G. Barton, Ed Jones and Junior Taylor for welcoming his family back to Arkansas and providing work for him.

“They knew our family and knew Dad had died and tried to help me out,” Winters said. “Those three guys had me working for them and helped teach me responsibility.”

Winters graduated in 1972 from Dover High School. Within a week of graduating, he enlisted in the United States Army, where he received an honorable discharge after three years of active duty.

“Of course they taught me responsibility there…” Winters said.

He explained how his brother-in-law Ron Mainhart, who was a Russellville Policeman, told him about a job with the department.

Winters began his law enforcement career with the Russellville Police Department in August 1975 and said he had never really thought about a job in law enforcement before then.

“Because Ron was my brother-in-law, he didn’t want to train me so Don Johnson, the former Pope County Clerk, did my training,” Winters said. “I would say Ron and Don had everything to do with my law enforcement career.”

Winters was a patrolman, public information officer, and a patrol shift sergeant until he left the Russellville Police Department in December 1981 to pursue a deputy position with Pope County Sheriff James “Jim” Bolin in early 1982.

“I enjoyed it and felt like the work was beneficial,” Winters said.

Winters became the jail supervisor and he was later named the jail administrator for the Pope County Sheriff’s Office. He also assisted with patrol duties and criminal investigations.

“Jim was very good to me,” Winters said. “He let me do some things like speaking to groups and children in schools. My actual job was jail supervisor, but because I had some law enforcement experience, I helped out some in patrol and some in criminal investigations. And so he gave me the options to help out with all that stuff. It was a great experience

n Jay B. Winters, Sr. n 1972: Graduated from Dover High School n 1972: Enlisted in the United States Army n 1975: Honorably discharged n 1975: Joined Russellville Police Department as

patrolman, public information officer and patrol shift sergeant

n1991: Sworn in as Pope County Sheriff n 2009: Hired as deputy director of ADEM n 2011: Appointed as director of ACIC