[AR] Erica's cop husband found guilty - but it doesn't matter

Erica lives in Arkansas, where officer-involved domestic violence RARELY makes the news. It probably rarely even makes it onto a report, and most cop-involved domestic violence probably is just endured, and here's why.

No matter what her cop husband does - he lands on top.

I'm sure he's told her that. Erica knows it's true. She briefly rose to news attention, but what are the moments of her life made of? Who can she turn to for help? How many live this way in Arkansas?

Madison Police Officer Victor Crawford's criminal violence goes back to the early 1990’s. He's been found guilty for violent crimes including third-degree battery in 1992 and third-degree assault twice in 1994. He has also been found guilty of various traffic violations, failure to appear and disregarding a police officer. All of these verdicts came between 1992 and 2003. Crawford was "suspended indefinitely" in December 2005 after being arrested on a felony warrant for going to a man's house and hitting him to the ground with his gun.THEN HE WAS REHIRED by the Department in 2006. (Imagine that.) THEN IT MADE IT TO THE NEWS THAT HE BEAT HIS WIFE ERICA in February of this year - including pulling out sections of her hair leaving her exposed scalp. Crawford was found guilty and given a $2,000 appeal bond.

But then what?

I just came across this from this month:

Madison City Council receives update on police investigation
Times-Herald, AR
Kendall Owens, T-H Staff Writer
October 09, 2007
Members of the Madison City Council were updated Monday night on an investigation into the background of one of the city’s police officers. Lt. Todd Gray with the Madison Police Department told council members that a recent conviction against Victor Crawford in District Court was dismissed when his appeal reached circuit court earlier this year... Crawford was found guilty in District Court in March of domestic battery against his estranged wife. The third-degree domestic battery charge was nolle prosequi at the request of the state during circuit court action in August. Gray told the council that he is still working to complete an investigation into other reports of criminal activity by Crawford... “It was my understanding as far as the background check is concerned that you wanted me to go back and see what there was. I’m in the process of filing everything in chronological order, and I also want to make sure all of the information is accurate before it is presented,” said Gray. No action was taken by the council...