For more than 30 years, Benton Police Sgt. Hanley Taylor dedicated his life to protecting and serving the people in Benton and this country on the homeland and abroad. On Friday, March 31, he thanked the people for all their support during a retirement ceremony at the Benton Municipal Complex.
Chief Kirk Lane and Assistant Chief Scotty Hodges presented Sgt. Taylor with his duty weapon, and a shadowbox of badges, patches, and other items signifying Taylor’s achievements at the Benton Police Department. Sgt. Begoon, on behalf of the Benton SWAT team, presented a gift to Sgt. Taylor – a .380-caliber rifle and gift certificates.
A graduate of Ozark High School and a 1985 graduate of N.W. Arkansas University, Sgt. Taylor began his career at the Benton Police Department in August 1987 as a dispatcher. In April 1988, he became a sworn officer assigned to the Patrol Division.
In 1995, he was assigned to the Street Crimes Unit. In August 1996, he was promoted to sergeant and assigned to the Patrol Division.
In 1997, Sgt. Taylor was assigned to a joint, multi-agency Special Response Team being 1 of 3 officers assigned from the Benton Police Department. From 1997 to 2012, Sgt. Taylor remained a member of the tactical team of the Benton Police Department. He held positions of Operator, Team Leader and Sniper.
In April of 2000, he was assigned as Director of the 7th Judicial Task Force where he remained until 2002 when he returned to the Patrol Division. The Warrants Division was the next assignment for Sgt. Taylor in June 2004, followed by the Training Division in January 2006.
In April 2007, he was assigned as the sergeant in the Special Investigations Unit. He returned to the Patrol Division in October 2008 where he has remained until his retirement.
Sgt. Taylor has obtained many certifications during his career, including: firearms instructor in 1993, DEA Drug Investigations in 1998 and Clandestine Laboratory Investigations in 1999.
A veteran of the Arkansas National Guard, Sgt. Taylor served from February 1982 till February 2002 assigned to the 142nd unit out of Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. Between 1990 and 1991 he served overseas in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Saber.