This week, law enforcement officers from multiple agencies joined forces to participate in a three day multi-jurisdictional enforcement operation in Baxter County called “Operation Accountability.” The operation was planned an organized by the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office.
According to Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery, teams of officers focused their efforts Tuesday through Thursday on locating parole and probation absconders, serving outstanding arrest warrants and making arrests for criminal offenses. The teams conducted residential compliance checks on parolees, probationers and registered sex offenders. In addition, Arkansas State Police Highway Patrol Troopers conducted saturation patrols throughout Baxter County resulting in many vehicle stops and contacts with motorists. Two wanted persons fled from officers in separate incidents, resulting in brief manhunts being undertaken utilizing K-9 tracking teams to locate the persons, both of whom were apprehended.
In total, 74 people were arrested on charges with 71 of them were booked into the Baxter County Detention Center.
Thirteen people were arrested on charges of parole and probation absconders; 32 were arrested on warrants of arrest served; 29 arrested on drug charges and other criminal arrests. Of those arrested, 36 of them were on active parole or probation with the Arkansas Division of Community Corrections at the time of their arrest. The three people arrested not booked at the Baxter County Detention Center were transferred directly to other jurisdictions for outstanding warrants
During the course of arrests and investigations, officers seized three vehicles, one boat, four cell phones, two computers, one hard drive, $3,100 in cash, 69.04 grams of methamphetamine, over three pounds of marijuana; 980 grams of kratom; 20 grams of mushrooms; 93 various pills; and multiple drug paraphernalia items and devices.
Sheriff Montgomery states a total of 36 felony charges and 11 misdemeanor charges were filed in connection with these arrests.
During the operation, compliance checks were also made at residences of 16 registered sex offenders who are currently under active supervision by the Arkansas Division of Community Corrections – Sex Offender Services. During those checks, multiple digital devices were triaged in the field, including 13 cellular phones, one smart TV, one standalone computer, and one laptop computer. Of those devices, three phones and one computer were confiscated for forensic examination. One sex offender was arrested for violating sex offender registration requirements.
In addition to local law enforcement officers, there were between 18 and 23 Arkansas State Police Troopers per day in the area from various parts of the state working the saturation patrol as part of this special operation. Troopers made a total of 559 vehicle contacts during those three days where they issued 184 citations for traffic and misdemeanor offenses. They also issued a total of 203 warnings for traffic offenses. The State Police set up a mobile commander center vehicle at the Sheriff’s Office to handle radio traffic and criminal justice database inquiries for their Troopers during the operation.
Agencies participating in Operation Accountability were Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Home Police Department, Arkansas State Police, Arkansas Division of Community Corrections – Parole and Probation Services, Arkansas Division of Community Corrections – Sex Offender Services, Cotter Police Department, Arkansas Division of Corrections – North Central Unit – K9 Tracking Team, Baxter County District Court – Probation Services and the United States Bureau of ATF – Local Agent.
Baxter Health hospital also had paramedic ambulances on standby in case of emergency incidents connected with the operation.
Sheriff Montgomery says the Sheriff’s Office organized this operation primarily as a means to hold convicted offenders accountable for complying with the terms of their parole and probation requirements. He states the lack of compliance is an issue law enforcement officers often encounter and deal with in the field.
Sheriff Montgomery stated, “We appreciate our partner agencies coming together in an operation designed to hold these people accountable. We hope to undertake similar concentrated enforcement efforts in the future”
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