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Arkansas State Police CDL examiner Dempsie Coffman has reached 50 years of service with the agency, a milestone that officials believe makes him the longest-serving employee in ASP’s 90-year history.
Coffman began his career with the agency on Oct. 7, 1973, when he was hired as a trooper. He was named ASP Trooper of the Year in 1979 and went on to serve in five of the department’s 12 troops before rising to the rank of lieutenant, retiring in April 2004 as assistant commander of Troop J.
He did not stay away long. Later that same year, Coffman returned to the agency as a commercial driver’s license examiner, a position he held for 17 years before retiring a second time to care for a family member’s health issues.
In October 2023, ASP asked Coffman to come back once more. He said yes.
“This year marks an extraordinary 50 years of service for Lieutenant (Ret.) and CDL Examiner Dempsie Coffman,” ASP Director Col. Mike Hagar said. “His loyalty, professionalism, and dedication to the mission of the Arkansas State Police has set a standard that few will ever match.”
Coffman was recently surprised at an event where family members joined him as the agency officially recognized the milestone. He and his wife, Diane, have been married for 57 years and have two sons, Chad and Rusty.
