Arkansas Police Chief Resigns After Vehicle Was Vandalized, Torched

By Bob Owens

A small town Arkansas police chief has resigned, claiming that the torching of his personal vehicle soon after the conviction of an open carry advocate was a threat to his family’s safety:

Bald Knob Police Chief Erek Balentine is resigning, saying he feels that doing so will better the safety of his family.

His announcement of resignation comes just days after his truck was vandalized overnight. The phrase “2 Amendment” was written in spray paint on the sides of the vehicle.

Balentine said the courts had recently found someone guilty in an open-carry case that his department had worked, so it is believed there could be a connection to the crime.

The vandalism and arson of the chief’s vehicle would seem to be a gross overreaction to a relatively minor open carry conviction that is being appealed, and which stands a good chance of being overturned.

Though he has apparently since changed his mind, Chief Balentine originally said that he would not be cowed by the incident:

Balentine says the message the arsonist was trying to send didn’t work.

“They really didn’t get a message. The message that I’ve heard a lot is they basically want me to back off. …read more

Source:: Bearing Arms