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Fort Smith Government Services

Fort Smith’s city government is headed by a mayor, a seven-member board of directors and a city administrator. The mayor and directors are elected by citizens, while the administrator is appointed. The city administrator and his staff oversee the daily operations of the city and serve as the liaison between the elected governing body and the city’s 15 departments.

The board of directors approves the annual operating budget and sets city policies. Members meet the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. All meetings are open to the public.

Fort Smith’s government services are located downtown on Garrison Avenue, and the city maintains a website at www.fortsmithar.gov.

Police and Fire
Fort Smith residents are protected and served by some of the nation’s best public safety departments. The two work closely together to keep residents safe and provide them with the highest quality of services possible. The top priority of the departments is ensuring the safety of the people who live in Fort Smith based on the core values of leadership, integrity, service and teamwork.

Police Services
The Fort Smith Police Department is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, which is a voluntary process that shows its officer’s commitment to professional business practices and quality law enforcement. The department aims to keep residents and visitors safe through a proactive approach including prevention, detection and investigation of all criminal activity.

Fire Services
The mission of the Fort Smith Fire Department is to serve the community by protecting lives, property and the environment in a safe, efficient and professional manner. The force employs 126 uniformed fire fighters and operates out of 10 stations throughout the city covering 69 square miles. The department provides fire and emergency medical services 24 hours a day with their 10 first line engine companies, three aerial ladder companies, two equipped rescue units, three brush fire fighting units, two rescue boats, a hazardous material trailer and a bomb response unit.

Legal
The Greater Fort Smith Region has a large professional service industry that is heavily populated with attorneys and legal professionals who practice all aspects of law. The area has hundreds of bar certified lawyers practicing all aspects of the law, from bankruptcy to consumer rights to the more specialized oil and gas industry.

With two nationally recognized and accredited law schools within two hours of the region, there is no shortage of talent for residents to fulfill their needs. The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith also offers students a legal assistance and paralegal degree approved by the American Bar Association and designed for professionals who assist attorneys in the research, investigation, document preparation and writing responsibilities of a law firm.