Brad Young Cleveland County Sheriff-Elect

10/30/2026

Good afternoon!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful week!

The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department kicked off the week by participating in the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Program. Thanks to your support and participation, we collected approximately 25 pounds of unused or unwanted prescription medications!

That’s 25 pounds of pills that won’t fall into the hands of our youth or potentially be misused by others!

Speaking of our youth, this week we also participated in Red Ribbon Week. Deputies spent time talking to students at Rison and Woodlawn, educating them about making healthier choices and staying drug-free.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate and help make our community a safer place. Your involvement truly makes a difference!

Please don’t forget to stop by and visit us on Halloween! We look forward to welcoming our trick-or-treaters, and our awesome dispatchers have been working hard preparing for their visit.

Below is the activity for your Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department from 10-24-26 to 10-30-26.

Complaints:
1-Breaking or entering
3-Theft of property
1-Criminal mischief
1-Harassment
3-Disturbances
1-Reckless driver
2-Suspicious person
2-Suspicious vehicle
1-Welfare check
3-Fire calls
1-Death
3-Animal calls
8-Ambulance
2-Alarm calls
4-Accident investigations
1-Child custody issue
3-Illegal burning
1-Missing child
2-Shots fired
2-Violation of protection order
1-Theft of services
2-Loud music

Citations issued:
3-Illegal burning

Felony arrests:
-Derrick Watson Jr., 26, of Rison; Criminal Mischief 1st Degree

Other:
-Lieutenant Young, along with other courthouse officials, spoke to a group of Rison Elementary students about the structure of our county.

-Lieutenant Young and Investigator Poss spoke to students at Woodlawn Elementary School as part of the Red Ribbon campaign. Students were also educated on Halloween do’s and don’ts.

-Lieutenant Young handed out candy to Head Start students alongside the Woodlawn Cheerleaders.

Please be safe and have a great weekend!

Brad Young
Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department

10/29/2026

10/26/2026

Fire Alert

A woods fire has been reported in the area between Hill Harper Road and Rodgers Road West. The Woodlawn Fire Department is currently on scene working to assess and contain the fire. The Forestry Department has been notified and is en route to assist with fire suppression efforts.

Please avoid the area if possible to allow emergency personnel to work safely and efficiently.

10/23/2026

Good evening!

I hope everyone has had a great week.

Red Ribbon Week started today. Red Ribbon Week is one of the oldest and largest drug prevention campaigns in the United States. Its mission is to raise awareness about the dangers of drug use and encourage drug-free choices among our youth, families, and communities.

As part of our commitment to supporting a safe and healthy community, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department will participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 24, 2026. We encourage anyone with expired or unwanted prescription pills to bring them to our dispatch tomorrow for safe disposal. All collected pills will be logged and transported to Arkansas State Police Headquarters in Warren next week for proper disposal.

Please help us keep our county safe by preventing unused medications from falling into the wrong hands.

Next week, I will also speak with students at Woodlawn Elementary School about the importance of making healthy, drug-free choices. By educating our youth and working together as a community, we can help build a safer, healthier future for everyone.

Please see the activity for your Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department from 10-17-26 to 10-23-26.

Complaints:
1-Terroristic threatening
3-Domestic disturbance
1-Criminal mischief
1-Disturbance
3-Reckless driver
2-Scam investigations
3-Suspicious activity
1-Welfare check
2-Fire calls
2-Deaths
5-Animal calls
13-Ambulance calls
3-Alarm calls
8-Accident investigations
2-Illegal burning
1-Stabbing
2-Missing children (located)

Felony arrests:
-Robert Dale Thompson, 64, of New Edinburg; Battery 1st Degree Class B Felony

Other:
-Investigators filed a total of fourteen felony charges with the prosecutor this week on six different individuals who had previously been arrested.

-Deputies conducted walkthroughs at Rison and Woodlawn Schools this week. Traffic was also worked at both schools.

-Deputies worked football games at Rison and Woodlawn on Friday night. Deputies also attended the P*e Wee Jamboree Saturday in Rison.

Please be safe and have a great weekend!

Brad Young
Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department

10/22/2026

Early morning patrols in Kingsland and New Edinburg this morning!

Please be extra cautious and watch for deer while traveling to and from work, school, and other activities. 🦌 I’ve been seeing deer out and about around the clock lately, so please stay alert, especially during the early morning and evening hours.

Nothing can ruin your day faster than hitting a deer!

10/20/2026

Update on Stabbing Investigation:

On Monday, October 19, 2026, at approximately 5:40 p.m., the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department received a report of a stabbing at a residence on Farm to Market Road in New Edinburg, Arkansas.

Deputies and investigators responded to the scene and learned that the victim, a 43-year-old male, had been transported by private vehicle to Bradley County Medical Center for treatment of a stab wound to the abdomen.

During the investigation, a witness reported that the victim and Robert Dale Thompson, 64, were involved in an argument when Thompson allegedly produced a knife and stabbed the victim in the stomach area. Thompson resides next door to the victim and the witness.

Thompson was interviewed at the scene, and a knife was recovered. He was subsequently arrested and charged with Battery in the First Degree, a Class B felony.

The victim was later airlifted from Bradley County Medical Center to a hospital in Little Rock, where he underwent surgery to treat his injuries.

Brad Young
Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department

STABBING NEAR NEW EDINBURG

The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department is actively investigating a stabbing that occurred near New Edinburg this afternoon.

Deputies and investigators responded promptly to the scene. The suspect, a 64-year-old male, has been arrested, and the weapon involved has been recovered.

The victim, a 46-year-old male, was transported to a nearby hospital and is being airlifted to a trauma center in Little Rock for further medical treatment.

The investigation remains ongoing. At this time, there is no threat to the public.

I appreciate the community’s patience as investigators continue working to determine the circumstances surrounding this incident. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

Brad Young
Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department

10/18/2026

Update: The pup is home safe and sound! The owners are so grateful to everyone who shared the post and helped spread the word.

State Highway 212 Residents:

This little Pomeranian has escaped from his family and is missing. He was last seen around 9:30 AM today at 630 Highway 212 in Rison, Arkansas. Please keep an eye out for him, and if you see him, please try to keep him safe.

10/16/2026

Good afternoon, everyone!

I hope you’ve all had a great week! The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department has been hard at work serving and protecting our county this week.

Chief Deputy Gary Young led an investigation that resulted in the recovery of a stolen camper, fi****ms, and narcotics. Three individuals were arrested in connection with the investigation, two of whom were already on parole.

Deputies Noah Gavin, Trevor Monk, and I had a great time visiting with the 3rd-grade students at Rison Elementary this morning!

We enjoyed talking with the students about the day-to-day duties of a Cleveland County Sheriff’s Deputy and sharing a little about what we do to serve and protect our community.

We also discussed several important safety topics, including:

-The importance of not talking to strangers.
-How and when to call 911 in an emergency.
-Knowing and memorizing their home address.
-Staying safe online and understanding the dangers of the internet.

We believe building positive relationships with our youth is an important part of keeping our community safe. It was a pleasure spending time with these students, answering their questions, and hopefully making a lasting, positive impact!

A big thank-you to Rison Elementary for welcoming us this morning! We always enjoy opportunities to connect with our schools and invest in the next generation.

Speaking of our youth, we have some exciting news for Halloween!

The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department will have plenty of candy for all the little ghosts, goblins, and superheroes out trick-or-treating on Halloween night!

Mrs. Erica and her team have been busy collecting candy to help make Halloween a little sweeter for the kids.

You can find us on the south side of the Sheriff’s Office along State Highway 35. Be sure to stop by and see us!

Below you will find the activity for your Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department from 10-10-26 to 10-16-26.

Complaints:
2-Terroristic threatening
1-Trespassing
1-Domestic disturbance
3-Disturbances
6-Reckless drivers
1-Suspicious person
2-Suspicious vehicle
6-Suspicious activity
5-Welfare checks
5-Downed trees
1-Fire call
2-Animal calls
16-Ambulance calls
1-Alarm call
2-Accident investigations
1-Child custody dispute
2-Motorist assists
1-Identity theft

Felony arrests:
-Travis Johnson of MCGhee; Theft of property Class C Felony, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) Class D Felony, possession of drug paraphernalia (methamphetamine) Class D Felony, possession of fi****ms by certain persons Class B Felony, simultaneous possession of drugs and fi****ms Class Y Felony

-Joel Curry of Hot Springs; Theft by receiving Class C Felony, possession of a controlled substance (Methamphetamine) Class D Felony, possession of drug paraphernalia (methamphetamine) Class D Felony, simultaneous possession of drugs and fi****ms Class Y Felony

-Donnie Brown of New Edinburg; Theft of property Class C Felony, possession of fi****ms by certain persons Class B Felony, possession of a defaced fi***rm Class D Felony

Other arrests:
-Stephen Cox of New Edinburg; Criminal trespass

Circuit Court:
Court was held on Tuesday. Treyvione Wainwright entered a plea and was sentenced to 20 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections for two counts of r**e of a minor.

District Court:
District Court was held on Thursday.

Amnesty Court:
An Amnesty Court day was held this morning and was a great success in helping individuals address outstanding warrants and fines.

Remember, absolutely no burning! Please be safe and have a great weekend.

Brad Young
Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department

10/09/2026

Good afternoon, everyone!

This has been a heartbreaking week as we mourn the loss of one of our brothers in law enforcement, Lincoln County Deputy Jeremy Simmons, whose passing hits close to home.

Please continue to keep Deputy Simmons’ family, friends, the Lincoln County community, and the entire Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department in your thoughts and prayers as they navigate this incredibly difficult time.

The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department is looking forward to Rison in the Fall this weekend!

Our deputies will be out and about helping ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable time. We look forward to seeing everyone come together to celebrate and enjoy this great community event!

Below is the activity for your Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department from 10-3-26 to 10-9-26.

Complaints:
11-Ambulance calls
3-Alarm calls
1-Theft of property
1-Terroristic threatening
1-Harassment
1-Domestic disturbance
3-Disturbances
2-Reckless driver
2-Suspicious vehicle
2-Suspicious activity
1-Welfare check
3-Fire calls
2-Animal calls
3-Accident investigations
2-Illegal burning
1-Runaway child
1-Crash alert call

Citations issued:
1-No proof of insurance
1-Leaving the scene of a property damage accident
1-Expired vehicle tags
2-Careless or prohibited driving
1-Drinking on a public roadway

Felony arrests:
-EG Wainwright of Rison; Domestic battery 2nd degree Class D Felony

Other:
-Greg White of Rison; Shoplifting

-Joshua Pease of Pine Bluff; Disorderly Conduct

Warrants served:
-Donovan Haywood of Pine Bluff; Failure to appear $765 bond amount

-Constance Craig of Fordyce; Failure to appear $575 bond amount

New funding:
As I’ve said before, one of my priorities is making sure our deputies have the training, resources, and equipment they need to serve the people of Cleveland County.

I also believe it’s my responsibility to be a good steward of your tax dollars. That means looking for opportunities to save money, secure outside funding, and reduce the financial burden on you the taxpayers whenever possible.

While researching training opportunities for our department, I came across a free online training program offered through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The training addresses encounters involving individuals who have entered the country illegally and provides guidance on how deputies should handle these situations.

Not only was the training free, but I also discovered that the program offered funding opportunities to help our department with vehicles and equipment.

As a result, five of our deputies completed the online training.

Under the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department and ICE, the department is eligible for the following funding:

-$100,000 initial stipend

-$7,500 per quarter for each eligible trained deputy with at least two years of service.

With five deputies currently meeting the eligibility requirements, that amounts to $37,500 per quarter, or $150,000 annually. Including the initial stipend, the total would be $250,000 in funding during the first year.

Every dollar we can responsibly secure from outside sources is an opportunity to stretch local tax dollars further. By seeking out these opportunities, we can invest in training, equipment, vehicles, and resources while being mindful of the financial impact on the citizens we serve.

Please be safe and have a great weekend!

Brad Young
Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department

10/07/2026

Courthouse Monument Damage Investigation

The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department received a call on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at approximately 8:30 p.m. regarding a vehicle that had collided with a monument on the courthouse square and left the scene.

Deputies responded to the scene and collected evidence from debris left as a result of the crash. By cross-referencing part numbers from the recovered evidence, deputies were able to determine the vehicle’s make, model, and an approximate year range of 2007–2010.

On Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at approximately 1:45 p.m., deputies located the vehicle believed to be involved in the crash. Evidence recovered from the crash scene was subsequently matched to the vehicle.

After conducting interviews, deputies identified the elderly female driver responsible for the collision.

Brad Young
Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department