A former Arkansas State Trooper currently employed by the Camden Police Department is appealing his decertification, according to Ouachita County Court documents.
On July 16, Nathan Clayton was terminated from the Arkansas State Police for violating department policies, including rules of conduct, use of force and reporting and investigating, according to state records.
Clayton is looking to reverse the decertification.
The administrative appeal filed in Ouachita County’s 13th Judicial District states, “the desertification was in violation of constitutional or statutory provisions, in excess of the agency’s statutory authority, made upon unlawful procedure, affected by other error or law; not substantial evidence of record and/or was arbitrary, capricious or characterized by abuse of discretion.”
On March 10, 2021, The Arkansas Commission of Law Enforcement Standards and Training held a hearing resulting in Clayton’s desertification.
The commission claimed that during a traffic stop, Clayton caused damage to his patrol unit and a suspect’s vehicle while attempting a precise immobilization technique. According to the report, Clayton then chased the suspect, commanding him to stop, and when the suspect obeyed and was seated Clayton kicked him twice and straddled his back, took control of the his arms and slammed the man’s chest into the concrete before handcuffing him.
Clayton is currently employed with the CPD in a non-enforcement role.
CPD Chief Boyd Woody said, ”Nathan Clayton is an evidence room technician. Until he can get the matter resolved with his appeal, he can’t be a police officer right now.”
“They collect evidence from the scene, they process evidence, they take evidence to the crime lab,” Woody explained.