Officer Jim Sell, of the Gassville, Arkansas Police Department was shot and killed on February 4th after making a traffic stop on a suspect involved in a multiple shooting in New Bedford Massachusetts on February 1st.
Officer Sell had worked for the Blytheville Police Department for 25 years before retiring as a captain in 2000. He had been serving with the Gassville Police Department for 3 years.
My parents live in Flippin, Arkansas which is just down the road from Gassville. Gassville has 3 full time officers and two part-time officers as well as several reserve officers. I’ve met several of the officers in that area and they do an extraordinary job of policing with very little backup and even fewer resources. My condolences to Officer Sell’s family and coworkers.
This incident serves as an example that even in an area known as a resort destination, officers lives are at risk on a daily basis.