Tom Cotton: “today, I join Senator Boozman in mourning the death of Stone County Deputy Sheriff Justin Smith. On January 2, Deputy…”

“today, I join Senator Boozman in mourning the death of Stone County Deputy Sheriff Justin Smith. On January 2, Deputy Smith was shot and killed in the line of duty while serving a warrant. With his passing, Arkansas has lost a selfless public servant, reflecting the very best in our State. Deputy Smith grew up in Arkansas, and he worked in law enforcement for 24 years--first as a corrections officer and then at the Stone County Sheriff's Department, where he worked for the past 14 years. Time and again, he went above and beyond the call of duty. Stone County Sheriff Brandon Long said of Deputy Smith: There was never a time he was called to come in that he didn't show up. He was the type of person that when his shift ended, if he needed to stay over, no questions asked. Deputy Smith was a gregarious and generous man who made friends and smiled easily. He enjoyed hunting and spending time with his large family. Deputy Smith is survived by his wife Lori, 3 sons, 2 daughters-in- law, 3 stepchildren, 4 siblings, and 14 grandchildren, along with many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Our prayers and the prayers of all Arkansans are with his family in this time of pain and mourning. One of his sons reflected: Perhaps the hardest part of all of this is that my dad only exists in memories and photos, and that's all we'll have left of him. Those heartbreaking words reflect the terrible danger that our men and women in blue and their families endure every single day.…”