Arkansas Governor backs State Police Director after traffic stop controversy

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has expressed continued confidence in Arkansas State Police Director Colonel Mike Hagar following his decision to cancel a scheduled appearance before the Arkansas Legislative Black Caucus.

Hagar withdrew from the meeting, which was intended to address a controversial August 1 traffic stop involving Alisa Hackett, citing a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Hackett and her mother. Dash camera footage from the incident reportedly shows Trooper Moisses Arellano throwing Hackett to the ground and punching her in the face during an attempt to handcuff her.

While Hagar offered to meet privately with caucus members, lawmakers and the NAACP Arkansas State Conference criticized the decision. Representative Tara Shephard and Caucus Chairman Jay Richardson noted that the legislature sought to discuss broader agency policies, procedures, and accountability standards rather than just the specifics of the individual case. The Governor’s Office stated that further comment on the matter would be improper due to the pending litigation.