
Sheriff Eric S. Higgins is a licensed minister, a devoted husband of 33 years, and a proud father of two daughters. He has devoted over 37 years to law enforcement. He began his distinguished career with the Little Rock Police Department in 1984, rising through the ranks to become Assistant Chief of Police. In 2019, he made history as the first African American Sheriff of Pulaski County in 200 years, bringing visionary leadership and a commitment to public safety and reform.
A graduate of Liberty University with a Bachelor’s in Government and Business and a Master’s in Executive Leadership and Counseling, Sheriff Higgins has also completed executive training programs with the Center for American and International Law and the Senior Management Institute for Police. His innovative approaches to law enforcement and rehabilitation have drawn national recognition, including being the vision behind Netflix’s Unlocked: A Jail Experiment series.
Sheriff Higgins has led transformative initiatives, including the CSI Re-entry Program, the Junior Deputy Mentoring Program, and community-centered projects like “Supper with the Sheriff’s Office” to foster trust and dialogue. His leadership has set a precedent in Arkansas with policies like Body-Worn Cameras in detention facilities and the implementation of the Duty to Intervene and No Choke Hold policies.
In 2024, he was honored with an Honorary Doctorate from Arkansas Baptist College and was honored by Mosaic Templars Cultural Center as one of the Trailblazer 15 and by Dream.Org at the #WeTheDream Inaugural Gala. Sheriff Higgins has been celebrated for his commitment to criminal justice reform and community engagement.
Sheriff Eric S. Higgins’s dedication to advancing public safety, reforming our criminal justice system, and fostering strong community relationships have set a lasting legacy of positive change and impactful leadership.

Chief Deputy Earnest Whitten is an Arkansas native and a 34-year veteran of law enforcement. He has served in the United States Army prior to law enforcement. During his law enforcement career, he has had the privilege of policing some of the most diverse communities in Little Rock. He has demonstrated a strong commitment to community-driven, problem-oriented, intelligence-led policing.
Prior to his appointment as Chief Deputy of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Chief Whitten served 33 years with the Little Rock Police Department. He worked in nearly all divisions of the agency and rose quickly through the ranks. He retired as a commander, where he managed various details, including the Airport Unit, School Resource Officer Program, Aviation Unit, and the Our Kids Program (OK).
Chief Deputy Whitten possesses a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Park University, a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Webster University, and a Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) from Capella University.
He is a graduate of the Southeastern Command and Leadership Academy (SECLA)-University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and the 235th Session of the prestigious Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Chief Deputy Charles Hendricks began his law enforcement career in 1991 with the Little Rock Police Department. He graduated from the police academy with top academic honors prior to undertaking his first assignment in the Patrol Division.
Chief Deputy Hendricks went on to work in the Detective Division and Training Division and completed his career at Headquarters, where he was responsible for the Warrants, Property, Front Desk, and Court Liaison personnel. In addition to those duties, Chief Deputy Hendricks oversaw the LRPD personnel assigned to the Northside Book-In/Short-term satellite facility for detainees of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office just prior to his retirement.
He spent seventeen (17) years as a law enforcement instructor teaching such diverse subjects as domestic violence investigation, juvenile law, defensive tactics, firearms, biased-based policing, and detention-related issues, among others.
In October 2018, Chief Deputy Hendricks started the final phase of his law enforcement career by joining the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. Upon Sheriff Higgins assuming the position of Pulaski County Sheriff in January of 2019, Chief Deputy Hendricks has overseen the implementation of Sheriff Higgins’ vision within the Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility by guiding the facility in its transition to the objective classification of detainees, tiered housing units and a new jail management software system, just to name a few.