Over the last year-and-a-half, the BCSO has made tremendous strides in keeping pace with county growth while becoming a more effective and professional law enforcement agency in its fight against crime.

For instance, the BCSO has increased the number of deputies on patrol to two per zone. This allows us to be more effective in deterring crime and has helped us reduce our emergency response time by an average of two minutes. Two minutes may not sound like a lot, but in emergency situations it can literally be the difference between life and death. Also, having two deputies per zone allows for a more timely back-up to fellow deputies when needed. 

Since I became sheriff, the BCSO has reduced crime in a number of critical areas. We have reduced residential burglaries by 25 percent and doubled residential burglary arrests over last year. In fact, we have achieved a 47 percent clearance rate of all crime in Bradley County, which is approximately 17 percent above the national average. We also continue moving forward in our efforts to achieve national recognition through CALEA accreditation.
 
All these accomplishments were achieved by utilizing existing levels of manpower, managing resources more effectively and shifting top-heavy management positions to field assignments where they have proven more effective in serving the public. These efforts have also saved taxpayer money in reduced manpower costs. 

Matthew Dyar, one of Bradley County’s Most Wanted fugitives, was taken into custody on Monday without incident.

Dyar was booked into the Bradley County jail on warrants for Threats, Felony Vandalism, and Assault. In August 2006 Dyar was accused of assaulting his girlfriend’s mother when she expressed concerns that he was living with them but was not providing financial support. Witness statements indicated he struck the woman in the head and stomped her left foot.

Matthew Wayne Dyar

Dyar has been on the run from BCSO for more than a year and a half. He was profiled in January and was added to the Most Wanted list shortly afterward.

In addition to the previously mentioned charges Dyar has a hold on his release by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office where he has an outstanding warrant for Violation of Probation on an Aggravated Burglary charge.

Deputy Tim Robinson and Deputy Willie Espinosa arrested Dyar without incident at a home in the 300-block of Old Charleston Road. Deputies learned Dyar was staying there after an anonymous call was received at the 9-1-1 Communications Center. Dyar had earlier asked a relative to contact the sheriff’s office to see about having the person he was staying with arrested for harboring a fugitive.

Population Report of the Bradley County Jail
                              May 13, 2008   May 14, 2008   May 15, 2008

• Total inmates         357                   352                     354
• State                      101                  104                      105
• Local                     169                   161                     162
• Federal                   87                     87                       87  

The jail's capacity  is 408.

The Tennessee Department of Corrections pays the county $35 a day to house state inmates.
The Federal government reimburses the BCSO $49.60 for each Federal inmate in the jail.

Christopher Allen Elkins, who fled when the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office went to his residence at 263 Maddux Road to serve an arrest warrant, was taken into custody without incident Thursday night. Elkins jumped out a back window of the home before he was taken into custody.

Christopher Allen Elkins

Elkins fled into a wooded area where a search was conducted but with no success. As a precautionary measure Walker Valley High School was placed on lockdown for a brief period of time before school dismissed.

Ellkins returned to his residence and was taken into custody without incident. He has been charged with Violation of Community Corrections with other charges pending.