Director Chris Chapmond was named Director of the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training on Jan. 27, 2023.

Director Chapmond started his law enforcement career by joining the Hot Springs Police Department in 1996 and served until 2018, when he retired as the Assistant Chief of Police. In August 2018, he accepted the position of Chief of Police for the Bluffton (South Carolina) Police Department, where he served until June 2020. In July 2020, he accepted the position of Hot Springs Police Chief, bringing him back to where he started.

Director Chapmond has a modern approach to law enforcement and supports community partnerships. While serving the Hot Springs Police Department, he worked to control crime proactively by emphasizing progressive training, enhanced law enforcement techniques and community policing.

As CLEST Director, his goal is to improve and grow professional law enforcement training and uphold the law enforcement profession to the highest standards. “We should strive to be the most professional law enforcement training program in the region,” he said.

Director Chapmond has 26 years of law enforcement experience that includes a range of leadership roles in Field Operation, Patrol, Drug Task Force and SWAT (Special Weapons and Response Team). Director Chapmond frequently speaks to youth organizations about the dangers of narcotics, and the devastating impact drug use can have on families.

Chapmond is a firearms instructor, professional law enforcement instructor, and a CRASE (Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events) instructor. Chapmond teaches part time at the University of Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute, continuing his work with CJI’s Drug Endangered Children’s program.

Director Chapmond earned a bachelor’s degree in Police Administration from Columbia Southern University and is a graduate of the Northwestern University’s School of Public Safety – Command Staff School, which is a master’s level course and considered one of the premier police executive classes in the field. Chapmond has completed the FBI Leadership Command College and is an Executive Board member and President of the Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police, a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and an Executive Board member of the Ouachita United Way and CASA of Garland County. He is a member of the Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club and various other civic organizations.

Chapmond has three sons, one daughter-in-law and two grandsons.