PRAIRIE GROVE, Ark. — Two years after being shot in the line of duty, former Prairie Grove Police Officer Tyler Franks is settling into his new career.
“I have been through the real deal. I have lived fighting for my life,” said Franks.
Franks was shot while responding to a domestic disturbance call while serving on May 4th, 2021.
“As a police officer, you really don't think about getting shot or getting hurt in the line of duty ... That didn't cross my mind at all that night,” he said,
The suspect fired three rounds from a shotgun and semi-automatic pistol hitting franks in the upper portion of both legs.
“I really didn't know what just happened. I just knew I was in severe pain. It takes you a second to process what just happened, and I didn't know where I was shot,” he said.
Franks remembers seeing his partner, Officer Andrew Gibson returning fire on the suspect.
Frank's left leg was partially amputated, but after surgeries, rehab, physical therapy, and a prosthetic, he geared back up for patrol on the first anniversary of being shot. Not long after that, he decided to change careers.
“I just didn't feel it in my heart anymore. And I just felt that it's not something I wanted to do anymore,” he said.
Now he’s made what was a volunteer job into his new career: He was a volunteer firefighter for 18 years and has been the assistant fire chief at the Lincoln Fire Department since March.
“It is a lot more difficult to be a firefighter than it is to be a police officer physically. So that was a challenge. And I overcame that and lots of adopters and physical therapy,” he said.
Even though Franks attended the fire academy years ago, he went again last year to prove to himself he could do it. He really had to figure out different ways of talking to people and caring for them in a fire and EMS setting.
“I just have a different passion for people, when they're going through something because I went through something myself, and you want someone there that you feel that's going to take care of you. And I feel like what I went through myself has really helped me help other people now on this side,” he said.
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