William Tapley
The University of Central Arkansas has announced the hiring of Conway Police Department Maj. William Tapley as the new Deputy Chief of the UCA Police Department. Maj. Tapley will begin his role at UCA Oct. 1. He fills the position left vacant by John Merguie, who was named UCA Chief of Police in April.
Tapley comes to UCA from the Conway Police Department, where he served for 22 years. Over the course of his career at Conway PD, Tapley held various leadership roles, including sergeant of the narcotics division, lieutenant of the criminal investigation division and major of the patrol division. Most recently, he was assigned to the Office of the Chief, where he was responsible for overseeing the Conway Emergency Operations Center and the Conway Animal Welfare Unit.
“I am looking forward to having William join our Police Department. He brings a wealth of law enforcement experience and will certainly be a valuable asset to our Department and to the UCA campus community,” said UCA Chief of Police John Merguie.
As Deputy Chief at UCAPD, Tapley will serve as the second highest-ranking officer within the Police Department and will be responsible for assisting in planning, organizing and directing the day-to-day operations of the Department. He will also ensure that the Department operations comply with federal, state and local laws and regulations and with UCA policies and procedures.
“We conducted a national search, attracting numerous qualified applicants,” said UCA Chief of Staff Kelley Erstine. “Maj. Tapley brought years of experience and quality leadership to our finding the right fit for this position.”
With Tapley’s appointment, UCAPD now has 28 sworn police officers and 11 civilians on staff, including communications specialists and an emergency manager.
Tapley earned an Associate of Applied Science in Law Enforcement from Southern Arkansas University Tech in 2011 and a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Management from Central Baptist College in 2016. He is a Certified Law Enforcement Professional Instructor and a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the School of Law Enforcement Supervision. He also holds a certificate in Reid Method Criminal Interviews and Interrogation.
