I ran from the law and the law won

Over the last year we have seen a dramatic increase in our warrant arrests. We started the Vernon County Fugitive Task Force to make sure those who commit crimes in Vernon County appear in court and face their charges. The idea was to designate some law enforcers officers that can spend time each week focusing on those who are on the most wanted list and by also releasing the information to the public so they can assist the team by sending in tips.

This team attempts to locate wanted subjects within our county, but they do not stop looking for someone just because they leave Vernon County. Over the last few months we have transported several wanted fugitives from all over the country back to Vernon County so they can be held accountable for the crimes they have been accused of.

Many of the offenders we track down are also probation and parole absconders who did something to violate the rules of their probation. In the past we have used the term "you can run, but you will only go to jail tired" and there have been some that have run a long way just to be captured and brought back.

We recently focused our efforts on a parole absconder who had originally been charged with second -- degree felony assault. He knew we were looking for him, and he had a few friends that were helping him hide in their houses, giving him rides in their cars while he hid in the backseats, and doing what they could to keep law enforcement off of their trail.

At one point I even spoke to someone we knew was helping him hide and when we told the person they needed to do the right thing and tell us where he was, this person said they would rather go to jail than tell the cops where he was. This person was not wanted because they were suspected or accused of committing a crime, they had already been found guilty of assaulting someone and had violated their terms of parole.

What this person's friends did not plan on was a team of cops that would put their focus on finding him so he could be sent back to prison. The team focused their research on the few people we knew may be helping him. They started a list of possible vehicles the fugitive could be traveling in; they started talking to other people who could help share some insight as to where he would be hiding or where he might go.

Once they had some locations on their list, the team started checking each one and moving on to the next. After a week of searching for him, they gathered information that led them to believe the fugitive may attempt to flee by heading North and out of the state. Even though he left Vernon County, the team did not stop its investigating and continued to gather information. Once enough information was gathered, other agencies were contacted with locations of the vehicle and its description.

Within an hour from when that information was sent out, we were notified by an agency in the North part of the state that the wanted subject was in custody! This was someone who committed crimes in Vernon County and turned citizens into victims.

The Fugitive Task Force Team has done a great job in apprehending those who are running from their crimes. I hope others who are contemplating running from the law understand that we will not stop looking for them just because they leave the county, or the state; we will keep looking for them until they face the consequences of their actions. We are sending the message: you may run as far as you can, but you will only go to jail tired!