Law enforcement officers from several different agencies came together earlier this week in a three day multi-jurisdictional enforcement operation in Baxter County named "Operation Accountability".  The operation was planned and organized by the Baxter County Sheriff's Office. 

     Teams of officers focused their efforts Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday on locating parole and probation absconders, on serving outstanding arrest warrants, and in making arrests for criminal offenses.  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 that resulted 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.   

     A total of 74 persons were arrested on charges in the following categories, and 71 of them were booked into the Baxter County Detention Center:

Parole and Probation Absconders:  13

Warrants of Arrest Served:  32

Drug charges and other criminal arrests:  29

     Of those persons arrested, 36 of them were on active parole or probation with the Arkansas Division of Community Corrections at the time of their arrest. 

     The 3 people arrested who were not booked in at the Detention Center were transferred directly to other jurisdictions that had outstanding warrants for those persons.

     During the course of the various arrests and investigations, officers seized the following items connected with criminal activities:

Firearms:  4

Vehicles:  3

Boat:  1

Cell phones:  4

Computers:  2

Hard Drive:  1

Cash:  $3,100

Methamphetamine:  69.04 grams

Marijuana:  3+ pounds

Kraton:  980 grams

Mushrooms:  20 grams

Various pills (controlled substances):  93

Drug paraphernalia:  Multiple items and devices

     A total of 36 felony charges and 11 misdemeanor charges were filed in connection with these arrests.

     Compliance checks were made at the 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.  These included 13 cellular phones, 1 smart TV, 1 standalone computer, and 1 laptop computer.  Of those devices, 3 phones and 1 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 here from various parts of the state working the saturation patrol that was part of this special operation.  Troopers made a total of 559 vehicle contacts during those three days.  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. 

     Law enforcement 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
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. 

     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.  Lack of compliance seemed to be an issue that law enforcement officers often encountered and dealt with in the field.  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.    

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff