Hallmark Receives Scholarship From Police Benevolent Foundation

By Joe Halm
Staff Writer
When Steven Hallmark walked into the Cross County Sheriff¹s Office Tuesday
afternoon, he had no idea why he was there. By the time it was over, he was $1,000 richer.
Hallmark was awarded a $1,000 scholarship by the the Police Benevolent Foundation to pursue his degree in the criminal justice field.
The Police Benevolent Foundation, Inc. is a tax-deductible 501(c)(3)
organization established by the Southern States Police Benevolent
Association, Inc. (SSPBA) in 2005, and this was the first year that the
group handed out scholarships.
Hallmark said his motivation to get into the field simply ran in his blood.
³My dad has been in the field, and I always wanted to know what it would be
like to become a police officer,² Hallmark said.
But it took more than a good bloodline to qualify for the scholarship, he
also had to have a 3.0 or better grade point average and be enrolled in a
two- or four-year university. Hallmark will be attending East Arkansas
Community College and said that he ultimately wants to become a federal
prison warden.
Steven¹s mother, Melissa currently works at the federal prison in Forrest
City while his father, David is captain  with Patterson Police Department.
Robert Henderson, PBA Arkansas Division President, said the PBA began its
scholarship program as a way to help the public.
³We needed someway to give back to the community because in a lot of ways
the community gives us so much. We felt like serving them in one respect is
a nice thing, but we wanted to give more,² Henderson said.
He added that there are plenty of people who are willing to give money to
good causes so the PBA wanted to have something that those people could give money to.
³The PBF helps fallen officers families in natural disasters. It pays in
some respects the legal expenses for police officers who are wrongfully
terminated,² Henderson said. If they get involved in a law enforcement action that leads to some sort of civil suit or criminal charge, we will cover them if it is a good-intended law enforcement action.² Henderson added that the scholarship program is also giving back to the future of law enforcement.
³We feel that if we can put some sort of investment into the children today,
then in the next few years, they will start giving back to their community,²
he said.
³If we can get police officers that are more educated prior to getting into
the law enforcement field, they will be better officers in the long run by
using their head more than their brawn. We really support the youth of today
getting some sort of education before they enter the field.²
Several members of the  PBA were in attendance for the presentation
including those from Hickory Ridge PD, Pine Bluff PD, Patterson PD, Wynne
PD, the federal prison, Cross County, St. Francis County and Crittenden
County sheriff offices.