The Barling City Council hired a new police chief Tuesday night after the former chief died last week of cancer.
The city council voted unanimously to hire Lt. Darrel Miner as the new chief for the Barling Police Department. Miner had been serving as acting chief while Chief Marshall Tracy Powell was battling cancer the past two months.
Powell lost his battle with bone cancer Nov. 18.
Miner accepted the position, effective immediately.
Powell began working for the city of Barling in May 1994 as a dispatcher. He was appointed chief in November 2008.
An avid hunter and fisherman, Powell recently married Kyla Payton on Sept. 15, according to Miner.
Powell's funeral was held Nov. 21 at the Fort Smith National Cemetery. More than 100 law enforcement officials from surrounding cities and counties, family and friends attended the service at St. Boniface on North B Street in Fort Smith.