Built by People Who've Been There
The 2717 Group team brings together law enforcement executives, doctoral-level organizational leaders, combat-trained veterans, and practicing attorneys. What unites us isn't a résumé — it's a shared belief that the people who serve deserve better support than they typically receive.
Dr. Chris Clem has spent his career at the intersection of leadership, organizational health, and human resilience — not as an outside observer, but as an active participant in some of the most demanding professional environments in America.
Before his doctoral work, he spent 16 years in law enforcement and remains active today as a Law Enforcement Captain. He holds a Ph.D. and a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership and previously served as Director of Research, Planning, and Leadership Development at the Arkansas Department of Public Safety, giving him both the academic framework and the operational standing to address what drives burnout in first responder organizations.
Dr. Clem works directly with law enforcement leadership on officer wellness, burnout prevention, and performance. As Interim Senior Pastor at Highland Assembly in Horseshoe Bend, AR, he also serves a rural congregation facing many of the same institutional pressures he studies professionally.
Chris Chapmond is a distinguished law enforcement executive with nearly 30 years of state and municipal leadership experience. Reappointed as Chief of Police for the Hot Springs Police Department in May 2026, he leads the agency's commitment to community-oriented policing and innovation.
Previously, Chapmond was appointed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders as State Director of the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (2023–2026), overseeing standards for 14,500+ officers statewide, managing $22.5 million in facility expansions, and modernizing state training standards.
Chapmond's 25-year foundation with Hot Springs spans every operational level — from Patrol Officer and SWAT Operator to Narcotics Commander, Assistant Chief, and Chief (2020–2023). He also served as Chief of Police in Bluffton, South Carolina (2018–2020). A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he holds a B.S. in Police Administration from Columbia Southern University and is a graduate of Northwestern University's School of Police Staff & Command and the FBI-LEEDA Leadership Command College.
Jason Lawrence is a native of Glenwood, Arkansas who has dedicated his career to public service in Garland County and across the state. He rose through the ranks of the Garland County Sheriff's Department from Reserve Officer to Chief Deputy and ultimately Undersheriff, a position he held until 2023. He currently serves as Deputy Director of Training for the Arkansas Division of Law Enforcement Standards and Training.
Jason is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (Class 275), the Department of Homeland Security Leadership Academy (Class 13), the Criminal Justice Institute Arkansas Leader Program, and Leadership Hot Springs — where he was elected Class Vice-President. He commanded the Garland County Tactical Response Team for over a decade and holds certifications in firearms, crisis intervention, active shooter response, and more than a dozen other specialized disciplines.
His recognitions include the Arkansas Attorney General Award for Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, the Above and Beyond Award for life-saving action, and the Garland County Good Government Group Public Servant of the Year. He holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Eric Wacaster is an attorney and 20-year veteran of law enforcement. Most of his career was spent with the Hot Springs Police Department, where he served as a Patrol Officer, Detective, Special Operations, SWAT Officer, SWAT Commander, Training Coordinator, and Training Sergeant.
Eric has accumulated over 3,000 hours of law enforcement training and has taught more than 1,400 hours as a certified law enforcement instructor. He is a graduate of the Criminal Justice Institute School of Law Enforcement Supervision and the 18th Session of the Department of Homeland Security's Leadership Academy.
He holds a Master's degree in Public Administration from Arkansas State University and a JD from Syracuse University College of Law. Eric has served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the 18th Judicial District East in Garland County, as well as General Counsel and Chief Legal Counsel for multiple Arkansas state agencies.
While Eric is passionate about fostering and developing leadership across the board, his greatest passion is helping law enforcement and first responders become leaders at home within their families. He believes the same drive, dedication, and ambition that led first responders to choose this line of work is the very same that can change the narrative — from "this is where marriages come to die" to "this is where marriages come to thrive."