JPD Officer Fired for Leaving Work, Lying to Supervisor

JONESBORO, Ark. — A Jonesboro police officer was fired Sept. 3 after an internal investigation found he left work for more than five hours while still clocked in and lied to a supervisor about his whereabouts, according to records obtained by NEA Report.

NEA Report obtained all of the records for this story through Freedom of Information Act requests made as part of its work on the police accountability tracker. One request revealed that Officer Clayton Edward Wilson had been fired Sept. 3. A separate FOIA request produced the internal investigation records detailing the circumstances of his dismissal.

Wilson’s disciplinary notice lists “Absence Without Leave” and “Lying to a Supervisor” as the sustained allegations. The notice states his termination was effective Sept. 3.

Supervisors Discovered Hours-Long Absence

Wilson was temporarily assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division on light duty when supervisors began looking for him the afternoon of Aug. 28, according to statements from Lt. Jacob Daffron and Sgt. Chad Hogard.

Daffron wrote that Wilson was found to be missing from the division about 1:30 p.m. Detectives said they had not seen him since earlier that morning.

Hogard sent Wilson a text at 1:41 p.m. asking where he was, then called at 1:50 p.m. after receiving no response. Wilson did not answer the call, according to Hogard’s statement.

At 1:52 p.m., Wilson texted that he had gone to get gas and was headed back to work, Daffron wrote. When Hogard asked where he had been, Wilson said he had been sitting in his car because his neck and back were bothering him.

Supervisors reviewed cameras at the police department. Hogard’s statement and the investigation summary place Wilson’s departure at 8:41 a.m.; Daffron’s statement gives the time as 8:42 a.m. All three accounts say he returned at 2:19 p.m., more than 5½ hours later.

When Wilson returned, Hogard and Daffron questioned him in Daffron’s office. Both supervisors wrote that Wilson admitted lying about getting gas. He instead said he had spent hours sitting in his car in a driveway at a residence near West Nettleton Avenue and Smoot Drive because of his neck and back discomfort.

According to Hogard, Wilson said he felt he was in the way in the division and did not think anyone would notice he was missing.

The records say cameras showed Wilson exiting southbound Interstate 555 onto Caraway Road as he returned to the department. Capt. Scott Baker wrote that the route and the time it took Wilson to return raised questions about whether he had gone to his home in Hoxie.

Wilson denied going to Hoxie. The records provided do not establish that he went there.

Termination Followed Internal Findings

Baker wrote that he briefed Police Chief Rick Elliott about the incident Aug. 28 and presented his findings Sept. 1.

In a Sept. 3 summary, Assistant Chief Waterworth wrote that Hogard and Daffron reported Wilson was often difficult to locate or absent without leave. They also reported that he made no effort to further his knowledge, engage with detectives or help with their cases, according to the summary.

Waterworth wrote that when Elliott wanted to discuss the issues with Wilson on Sept. 3, supervisors again could not locate him and he had not told anyone in the division where he was. He was later found sitting in his vehicle in the parking lot.

Elliott terminated Wilson’s employment that day, Baker’s report states.

“The allegations of being absent from work while clocked-in and dishonesty are sustained,” Baker wrote.

The internal complaint, numbered PS 26-049, lists both attendance and dishonesty findings as sustained Sept. 3, with termination recorded as the disciplinary action.