North Little Rock officer's death linked to covid-19

Died in line of duty, department says

A North Little Rock Police sergeant died from covid-19 Wednesday morning, becoming the first law enforcement officer in the state to die in the line of duty in the pandemic, according to the department.

J. L. "Buck" Dancy, 62, had battled covid-19 for the past several weeks, according to a news release from department spokesman officer Joe Green.

Dancy served in the police force since 1985, primarily as a detective in the Crimes against Persons Unit of the Investigations Division, later becoming a supervisor.

"He helped young detectives become seasoned professionals," said NLRPD Chief Tracy Roulston, who called Dancy "the rock" of his department unit. "However, I think his best attribute was his ability to lean on his faith and help the families of victims of violent crimes. He has affected so many people. We are all still in shock."

The death is being considered by the department to be in the line of duty because he contracted the virus while on duty. When asked how the department ascertained that Dancy contracted covid-19 while on duty, Green did not give an answer.

Gavin Lesnick with the Arkansas Department of Health said that strands of the virus can be traced from person to person in certain situations, though the procedure isn't always reliable.

Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police Executive Director Gary Sipes said any law enforcement officer death that results from action taken in the execution of the officer's duty is a death in the line of duty.

Sipes added specifically that the North Little Rock Police Department knew how Dancy contracted the virus.

Green said North Little Rock Police will double down on current covid-19 protocol for the department by making sure personal protective equipment is worn and social distancing is followed when necessary.

"We're continuing to maintain the precautions that we've been utilizing since implementation or since covid came about," Green said. "We're utilizing PPE on all of our calls and also utilizing PPE inside of our buildings."

Green said because working closely with people is a requirement of being in law enforcement, increased exposure to covid-19 is inherent in the job.

"Unfortunately, to do a lot of our work, we have to go out there and interact with citizens on a daily basis," Green said. "So, just because we're wearing PPE doesn't mean we can't contract it."

Dancy's colleagues in the department remembered him Wednesday as reliable and dedicated.

For some fellow detectives on the force, including Ashley Noel, Dancy was a very dependable person.

"He was the first sergeant I met on my first night of riding with an [Field Training Officer]," fellow Noel said. "I remember going into the Levy substation, feeling like I was going to faint from being so nervous. He sat in front of me and said, 'I know you're scared, but don't be. We got you. You can call me Buck.' Since that night, I've always known that I could depend on him as a supervisor and as friend. I will miss him fiercely."

Former North Little Rock Police chief Danny Bradley, who is the current chief of staff for North Little Rock Mayor Joe Smith, said he was shocked by the news regarding Dancy.

"The report we had yesterday was that he was doing better," Bradley said. "This morning we got the bad news, and it was quite a shock to us."

Bradley said Dancy was not only a hard worker, but also a good person.

"Not only was he a dedicated officer, but he was an outstanding human being," Bradley said. "His moral compass always pointed in the right direction, and he worked many years in the investigations division, getting called in the middle of the night and coming out to work crime -- never a complaint."

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