Nov 9, 2023 – In a somber display of love and respect, a multi-agency procession of law enforcement escorted Detective James “Mike” Lett from the Arkansas State Crime Lab in Little Rock, to the Smith Benton Funeral Home in Downtown Benton.
Nov 11 2023 – On Saturday, November 11, 2023, a walking processional made their way down Market Street from Smith Benton Funeral Home to First Baptist Church of Benton, AR to pay last respects to Detective James “Mike” Lett.
Arrangements are being made for a local detective that passed away. Benton Police Department (BNPD) Special Investigations Unit Detective James “Mike” Lett died Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at approximately 1:30pm. He was surrounded by family.
On November 09, 2023, all law enforcement officers are invited to join a procession from the Arkansas State Crime Lab (3 Natural Resource Drive in Little Rock) to the Smith Funeral Home (322 N. Market St. In Benton) where Det. Lett will be escorted. To be part of the procession, meet at the Crime Lab at 10:15 a.m. Thursday.
The Memorial Service will be at the First Baptist Church in Benton (211 S. Market St. Benton) on November 11, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.
The Benton Police Department asks readers to please share this news to try to reach as many as possible. And continue to keep his family both blood and blue in your thoughts and prayers as they get through these hard times.
According to BNPD, Det. Lett was seriously injured in a single motor vehicle accident on Interstate 430 in the late morning of October 28th, 2023. He was traveling to the Benton Police Department to assist with the Drug Take Back event when his vehicle hydroplaned and struck a bridge guardrail around Rodney Parham in Little Rock. He was hospitalized but suffered strokes and didn’t make it.
Det. Lett has been with the Benton Police Department since 2019 as a Detective but has been a police officer in central Arkansas since around 1996 serving at Pulaski County, Saline County, Maumelle Police Department, and the Attorney General’s Office in Little Rock.