New officer dies during training 1 month after joining department, Arkansas cops say

A patrolman with the Jonesboro Police Department in Arkansas died during training exercises on Sunday, July 17 — just a month after he joined the force.

Vincent Parks had completed his in-house instructional training and was doing course work at the Central Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy in North Little Rock when he died, the department said.

He showed signs of “medical distress” and suffered cardiac arrest as he entered an ambulance, KAIT reported.

Parks was 38 years old.

Police said Parks began his employment with the department on June 15.

“We are asking our community to keep his family in your thoughts and prayers as they mourn the loss of their loved one and we mourn the loss of our brother in blue,” the Jonesboro Police Department said.

One loved one said Parks “was joyful, kind, humble, strong of character and had a calling to serve others.”

“He had a heart full of love and a smile that could take a room by storm,” said Mary Barkley. “He was also the kind of man who was a protector and would stand loyally at your side for as long as I knew him.”

This story was originally published July 18, 2022 at 8:55 AM with the headline "New officer dies during training 1 month after joining department, Arkansas cops say."