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Little Rock launches municipal identification cards

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-- Little Rock launched its city ID card program on Saturday.

 

More than 150 hopeful recipients lined up in the heat to make an appointment to apply for the photo identification card. Right before that announcement city leaders opened the doors to its Multicultural Liaison Office at the Wakefield Neighborhood Resource Center. We watched as the police chief, a city director, the mayor and the city manager got their city ID cards Saturday. 

 

Pedro Guevara said, "Thank God I was able to become a permanent resident of the United States."

He explained he was there for his wife. He said, "For the first time she's going to have it."

Little Rock Multicultural Liason office is now OPEN #ARNewspic.twitter.com/wqQ3t1XyTm

— Price McKeon (@PriceMcKeon) July 7, 2018

It did not refer to a laminated card. It referred to something much bigger- an identification.

LRPD Chief Kenton Buckner said, 'There are a lot of things going on in our country that causes a lot of fear in the Hispanic community.


Little Rock is ab to open Multicultural Liason Office & launch Municipal ID Card Program. People are lined up waiting to sign up #ARNewspic.twitter.com/feXqb1exy2

— Price McKeon (@PriceMcKeon) July 7, 2018

Little Rock's police chief hopes the cards increase trust between officers and the Hispanic community. 

Chief Buckner said, "As the chief of police I am committed to treating everyone in our community with dignity and respect."


LR Mayor Mark Stodola said, "You are our friends. You are our neighbors and we embrace you. We love the fact that you have decided to make Little Rock your home." After about 2 years the idea of a municipal ID card program became a reality. The city explains it's a program with a purpose: to connect residents to city services, to incorporate residents into the local economy, to increase security and to provide a sense of belonging.


This is just one long line of people waiting to sign up for the new municipal ID cards in Little Rock #ARNews pic.twitter.com/rS6HO2cnsJ

— Price McKeon (@PriceMcKeon) July 7, 2018


Mayor Stodola said, "This municipal ID program will help further cement the idea that this is your house. This is your family and this is where you're proud to live." Chief Buckner said, "It will decrease the likelihood that a Hispanic resident will be a victim of a robbery because of some of the issues of fear of not having a bank account."


The city explained residents ages 14 and older must make an appointment to apply for the $10 photo ID cards. 


Guevara said, "That means a lot. Maybe in the future, it can be something better than that but it means a lot."

The ten dollar card that for some people is priceless. Stodola said anyone in the city can apply for the municipal ID card including the homeless community. 


He said 3 banks will accept the cards as either a primary or secondary identification. 


Secure Card Designs is happy to have helped launch this product.