Experts point out that the former Arkansas police chief, who managed to escape from prison recently, may have an advantage over other escapees due to his background in law enforcement.
The ex-Gateway Police Department Chief, Grant Hardin, aged 56, fled from the North Central Unit, a medium-security prison located in Calico Rock, on Sunday afternoon, as reported by the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC). Known as the “Devil in the Ozarks,” Hardin was in prison serving multiple decades for charges including murder and rape.
According to Eric Brown, a CEO at Imperio Consulting and a 24-year veteran of the U.S. Army Special Forces, individuals like Hardin, who previously served as a police chief, possess a deep understanding of law enforcement protocols, patrol practices, and the typical structure of search operations.
“That gives him an initial edge. He knows how law enforcement thinks,” Brown told Fox News Digital.
He pleaded guilty to the 2017 murder of James Appleton, 59, a city water employee who was found shot in the face inside his work truck, KNWA reported. While Hardin was being booked into the state prison around that time, officials submitted his DNA sample into a database. His DNA linked him to the rape cold case of a teacher in 1997, the outlet reported.
Hardin ended up pleading guilty in that case in 2019, according to KNWA.
The former police chief’s escape came two days after 10 prisoners escaped a correctional facility in New Orleans, eight of whom have since been recaptured while two remain at large.
Hardin is described as a 6-foot White male, weighing approximately 259 pounds. The FBI is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to his recapture and is asking tipsters to call 1-800-CALL-FBI with any information concerning the escapee.
Fox News’ Stepheny Price and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
