Dempsie Coffman was sworn in as a Trooper with the Arkansas State Police on October 7, 1973 and assigned to the Highway Patrol Division. In 1979, he received the prestigious Trooper of the Year award for saving a woman’s life. He was promoted to Sergeant on November 23, 1984 and then Lieutenant on June 17, 1988.  His first assignment as a lieutenant was as the Assistant Commander for Troop “B” at Newport, Arkansas. In March of 1995, he transferred to Troop “J” in Clarksville, where he served the remainder of his thirty-year career before retiring on April 30, 2004.  Dempsie Coffman is the author of three books: Arkansas State Troopers: A Breed Apart; Life (It's All about the Family) An Autobiography about the Life and Times of Lt. Dempsie Coffman, Arkansas State Police; and, a book of poetry, Southern Charm: Poems For All Occasions.

According to the book description of Arkansas State Troopers: A Breed Apart, the reader will “ride with the Troopers of the Arkansas State Police as they raid illegal gambling operations and take down drug dealers. Experience the helplessness as officers watch a fellow Trooper being ambushed. Mourn with the families when they receive word that a loved one has been killed in the line of duty. Feel the pain when you hear the sound of a twenty one-gun salute and cry as taps are blown at the funeral of a fallen comrade.”

Dempsie Coffman said of his autobiography, Life (It's All about the Family)An Autobiography about the Life and Times of Lt. Dempsie Coffman, Arkansas State Police, “If you have ever wondered what it was like to grow up and work on a cotton farm during the 1950’s you need to read this book. It tells about the trials and tribulations of survival while growing up in a large family and only making two dollars each day for working from daylight to dark. While I wasn’t ashamed of my roots I wanted a better life for my family. I knew at an early age that education was the key to unlocking many doors and I only completed the fifth grade.

After obtaining my (G.E.D) General Education Diploma I went to work as a Patrolman for the Lonoke Police Department in July of 1971. I immediately knew that I had found my niche in life and wanted to make a career out of it. Four months later I applied for and was accepted as a Patrolman for the North Little Rock Police Department.

In 1973 I was approached about going to work for the Arkansas State Police and was sworn as a Trooper on October 7, 1973. I was promoted to Sergeant on November 23, 1984 and to Lieutenant on June 17, 1988. For the next six years I was the assistant commander in Troop’s B, F, and E. in March of 1995 I transferred to Troop J in Clarksville. A short time later I enrolled in a correspondence course at one of the local Universities and eventually obtained a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice. I completed thirty years of service to the state of Arkansas in October of 2003, and retired on April 30, 2004.

This book reveals a life of hard work, honesty and integrity. It deals with education, courtship, love, marriage and the death of a child. You will laugh and cry as you read about the antics of growing up in a large family. It is both sad and funny but the message is simple: Put God first, family second, and everything else, well, you know the rest.”

Dempsie Coffman said of about his book of poetry, Southern Charm: Poems For All Occasion's, “I wrote my first poem while sitting in church one Sunday morning in 1971. Since that time I have been intrigued by poetry and have discover that writing poems has provided me with a way to escape when things start to close in around me. Having been a Arkansas State Trooper for over thirty years I have seen and done just about anything that you can imagine. Some things have been funny, some have been sad, while others have been dangerous. After experiencing a stressful situation I often found myself wanting to forget about some of the events that I encountered and looked for ways to escape from it. I have discovered that a pencil and piece of paper are great tools when used properly and can provide that escape. My love for poetry has grown over the years and I have come to the realization that ones imagination can take you anywhere you want to go. I have written many poems during my lifetime and after selecting a few that I felt like were some of my best I decided to write this book entitled “Southern Charm.” it contains many wonderful poems that were inspired from personal experiences about the love I have for my family and God.”