This post was updated 6/25/26 to include additional details about Joshua Waldrum’s history at the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. His initial hiring date has also been corrected.
A Clark County lawman is facing allegations that he committed felony theft and burglary in another county where he worked as a police officer.
Joshua Kyle Waldrum, 36, of Glenwood, is accused of stealing numerous items from fellow police officers at the Prescott Police Department. Waldrum was an officer there until recent weeks, when he became a full-time Clark County deputy on May 15. Prior to that he had worked part time as a Clark County deputy. In the past, he has also been a deputy for the Hot Spring County Sheriff’s Office.
An internal investigation by the PPD was turned over to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office on May 29. A police affidavit accuses Waldrum of stealing more than $1,300 worth of police equipment belonging to fellow officers.
The alleged stealing spree started before Waldrum’s last day at PPD, on May 27. The affidavit notes that Waldrum didn’t turn in part of his department-issued uniform, and that’s when other patrolmen began noticing their belongings were missing. Two fellow officers claimed that Waldrum stole their flashlights and accessories, and a sergeant alleged that Waldrum forced entry into his locked office, where he allegedly stole numerous boxes of ammunition. Firearm accessories were reportedly taken from a police department property room. In addition, the police chief had a large cooking pot come up missing. When the assistant chief returned from medical leave on June 11, he noticed several firearm accessories were missing from his office.
The affidavit says the thefts were caught on surveillance camera as Waldrum “forcefully entered the room” wearing a backpack, which he took to the assistant chief’s locked office door, out of view of the camera. “All stolen items were observed on the camera in Waldrum’s possession,” the affidavit notes.
NCSO filed its affidavit with 8N Prosecuting Attorney Ben Hale. The potential charges include Commercial Burglary, Breaking and Entering, and Theft of Property. Hale had not filed formal charges at the time of this writing.
Court documents obtained by The Arkadelphian show that Waldrum was arrested Tuesday, June 16, and that his $2,500 bond was posted that same day following his first court appearance in Nevada County. He has retained Arkadelphia attorney Jonathan Huber for legal representation. His next court date is set for July 16.
According to records released to the Southern Standard under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act by Clark County Chief Deputy Raymond Funderburk, Waldrum’s first local stint in law enforcement began when he was hired on Sept. 26, 2012, as a jailer. On May 13, 2014, he was hired as a full-time deputy and sent to the police academy in East Camden for training.
On Nov. 6, 2017, Waldrum was suspended for four days after shooting a deer while on duty. The letter of reprimand from Funderburk, under the header, “Dereliction of Duties,” stated that Waldrum had “put down a deer that may have been injured and may have recovered. You discharged a firearm from your patrol car. The neighborhood had houses and businesses in the area. Then you and your rider drove your unit to Amity to get your truck and harvested the deer while on duty. This is unacceptable…”
Two days later, Waldrum resigned his position. A year later, Waldrum was hired back as a part-time deputy and jailer for the CCSO as of Nov. 30, 2018.
On Nov. 7, 2019, Waldrum received a AGFC ticket for aiding and abetting. On March 20, 2020, Clark County District Court Judge Randy Hill entered an order regarding a Failure to Comply notice that apparently reinstated Waldrum’s drivers’ license.
On Dec. 8, 2021, Waldrum received two tickets from the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission for wasting edible portions of wildlife and harvesting over the limit of deer. Days later, on Dec. 13, Waldrum was fired by Funderburk based on the charges. In a letter to Waldrum, he wrote, “This is your third involvement with the AGFC and if you cannot follow the Law there’s no way you can enforce it. You being a Deputy are held to a higher standard and your time and time again violating the regulations of the game Laws is not acceptable.”
On April 3, 2022, he was hired back by the CCSO, and on July 11, 2023, he was moved to the position of jail administrator. On Dec. 19, 2024, he left the CCSO and beginning on Aug. 22, 2025, began working for the Hot Spring County Sheriff’s Office until he left there on Jan. 3, 2026. Five days later, once again, was a part-time CCSO deputy. On Feb. 17, 2026, he was hired by the Prescott Police Department, but only worked there until May 15, 2026, when he started back with the CCSO full-time.
He was terminated on June 11 when the news of his charges from Prescott was made known. Asked about the current allegations against Waldrum, Clark County Sheriff Jason Watson had no comment other than to say Waldrum’s employment with the department was being terminated.
Joel Phelps of The Arkadelphian and Joe May of The Southern Standard contributed to this report.
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