I'm Your Constable -

I'm Frank Gilbert, and I'm your Constable

I have been sworn in and have begun my service as Constable of Big Rock Township (Pulaski County south of the Arkansas River). It is my sincere desire to conduct myself in a way that will be pleasing to both my constituents and my God. Your prayers and support are sincerely requested.

Let me encourage you to contact me at any time if you need my help or wish to be of help by calling 501 204-0425.

As Big Rock Constable, I meet with and listen to anyone or any group that wants to work to make our communities better places to live. I work with anyone working to bring about positive results in Little Rock.

I am not into partisan politics. I’ve been elected to local offices once as a Republican, twice as an Independent and now twice as a Libertarian. Party labels don’t mean much to me. In truth, I fear that political parties make things more difficult by dividing us.

I previously served as Coroner of Grant County, Mayor of Tull, and Constable of Dekalb Township.

As a constable, I don’t try to be a supercop or any other kind of cop. I just try to help my neighbors. Essentially, I believe that everyone has a right to live their lives as they see fit, so long as they do not violate the rights of others. If there is no victim, there is no crime.

Let’s talk.

Frank Gilbert:
501 204-0425

Monthly Report

Constable Gilbert’s
May, 2026 Report

Transportation

In May, I was able to assist 11 individuals to and from medical and legal appointments. If you are, or someone you know is, struggling to find transportation please call me at the number below.

Training in Law Enforcement Procedures and Practices

The Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards & Training provides hundreds of on-line classes on topics related to police authority and operations. I have passed 80 hours of them.

If you have questions or concerns about policing in your community, call me.

Broken Windows Policing WITHOUT Police

For 17 months I have talked to (or tried to, anyway) city and county officials about homelessness, panhandling and Code Enforcement. During that time I have met scores of men and women who are living on the streets or ‘making a living’ begging there. I have also dealt with dozens of residents who have been cited by Code Enforcement for various violations.

After those experiences I am reminded of Reason.com’s YouTube video series “Great Moments in Unintended Consequences.” If you want a few good chuckles and some insight into how governments at all levels deal with real problems, I encourage you to check it out.

I have no doubt that Pulaski County, the City of Little Rock and other governmental entities in Big Rock Township have the best of intentions. The result of those good intentions (in my humble opinion) are uneven, at best.

Homeless Citizens

Pulaski County has already spent over ten million dollars and has plans for another twenty million dollars to build a homeless community. Millions more has been collected by private sources for the project. The goal is to provide 400 homes. So far, five homes are occupied.

The City of Little Rock also has plans for their own project to build housing for the homeless.

“Sounds like a GREAT idea, with the BEST of intentions. What could possibly go wrong?” That is the question posed by every episode of Reason.com. I fear we are going to find out.

Code Enforcement

Little Rock spends several million dollars per year on the Housing and Neighborhood Projects department. Code Enforcement is a small part of that, as is the Environmental Court. I have been unable to figure out how much is spent directly on Code

Enforcement, but the Court, with eight employees, spends more than a half million dollars annually and generates hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

Every citizen can judge for themselves how effective efforts to clean up neighborhoods and abate dilapidated structures have been. My own perception is that large portions of the city do not reflect a good result.

If you are concerned about your neighborhood’s appearance or safety, call me.

Constable’s Listening Tour

It would be a pleasure to meet with you and hear about the things that concern you.

Contact me at any time. I want to hear from you and to help in any way that I can.

With Cooperation, Our Communities Prosper. Your Help Is Needed.

501 204-0425 Frank@FrankGilbert.org

What Are We Doing?

A Lady is living in the open air on the south side of Markham Street, in the park. She is prone on the ground with her belongings in a shopping cart and scattered nearby. She is clearly visible to thousands of people who drive by each day.

I saw her the afternoon of January 9th and parked at the city facilities a couple of hundred yards from her campsite. When I announced myself from about 20 feet away, she rose quickly and easily to her feet and greeted me in English with only a very faint oriental accent. For a few minutes we conversed about the weather before I turned the conversation to my concern. Why did she choose to live outside in the winter?

Her first response seemed to indicate that the Almighty had mandated that she do so. As I explored that with her, it became clear that she had been to court and probably been charged with trespass. Even then, it was not clear whether her aversion to sleeping in a building was mandated by His Honor or the Almighty.

When our conversation turned to the possibility of her going to a women’s shelter it became clear that she did not wish to sleep in any enclosed space. Or maybe I misunderstood her. Perhaps she is not sure why she is where she is.

In any case, she had no interest in seeking shelter in any of the facilities available to indigents, so we talked about her other needs. She is running short of water and would like to have a bottle of Coke. Or
Mountain Dew. She expressed no desire for food. She told me she had no money, but never asked for any.

After that, she shared with me that she had been assaulted recently. She didn’t know why the man attacked her, but was glad that a bystander had reported it and Little Rock Police arrested her assailant. She seemed unconcerned that it might happen again. Since I had neither water nor Coke we parted ways agreeing to pray for each other.

According to a statement made by a city employee at a neighborhood association meeting I attended last year, they do not interfere with folks camping on public property – even sidewalks. It is clear that they have the authority to do so. A recent Supreme Court decision (City of Grants Pass v. Johnson) opened the way for cities to end the practice of public camping.

The city has no obligation to enforce a ban on camping. They seem to think that it is a kindness to allow homeless residents to sleep on the ground in public places. I am convinced that it is not. It is easier than the alternatives, but I believe it is cruel to allow indigents to be exposed to violence and the elements in summer heat and frigid winter weather.

This was Roosevelt Road at Interstate 30 yesterday (1/14/25) on the east side. Folks exiting or entering I-30 West saw this. I passed by it again this morning and it remains a mess. Some of the carts are moved, but it remained an unsightly eyesore.

That exit is a good shortcut to the airport for anyone coming from the north or west. Continuing on the Interstate you have to take the I-530/I-440 exit, then exit again on I 440, take exit 3 and wind your way down Roosevelt from the other side to Airport Road. Only THEN you will intersect Roosevelt again after it made a much shorter path to that intersection.

Taking Roosevelt will save you miles and give you some up-close-and-personal views of the airport and departing/landing flights. But it will NOT impress visitors to Little Rock.

A few days ago I posted a picture of a young lady living, open-air, in the park on Markham Street. Her plight is heart breaking. She has been physically assaulted living on the streets of our city. She has been hauled into court for a trespass. She isn’t allowed to have a tent (for some unknown reason).

I think most of us see her (and hundreds of others struggling like her) as a sympathetic victim of her condition and circumstances she can’t control. We struggle with her individual rights as a human being and the community standards that most of us have to meet.

There is no doubt that private property looking like the corner of Roosevelt and Interstate 30, or the park where she was living when I talked to her could expect a visit from Code Enforcement.

My first concern is with the individuals who are trapped in circumstances that lead to them living in conditions that are abhorrent. They deserve better and they deserve our respect as we try to make things better for them.

But there are secondary considerations. Equity matters too. When the government applies different standards to different people there has to be a GOOD reason. Public health and safety and community standards should not be applied to homeowners, businesses and some residents and ignored for others.