In 2002 the city voters passed a sales tax. The result of this tax would enable the city to employ 10 new officers.

Also in 2002 statistics were gathered and declared in 2003 that Paragould was recorded as the Safest City in Arkansas with a population of 20,000 plus. The crime rate was 15 crimes per 1,000. The city that came in 2nd place had a rate of 42 crimes per 1,000.

Paragould currently has 41 sworn in officers and nine civilian officers (totaling 50).PPD has 13 patrol units with laptop computers that are linked to the Arkansas Crime and Information Center data base.