Last week, I touched on a number of things the BCSO accomplished during 2007, but I didn’t have enough room to list them all. This week I will continue.

I mentioned that aggravated burglaries and overall crime rates were down in 2007, but another important tool we developed last year is a crime analysis/mapping program which will pinpoint problem areas in the county. As these problem areas are identified, we then can go in and clean them up by saturating the area with deputies and regular patrols. Criminals will usually follow the path of least resistance and if we make it hard enough on them to operate in Bradley County, if they know they will be arrested and prosecuted, they will generally choose to pack it in and move elsewhere. 

We held two very successful warrant round-ups in 2007, which helped achieve a warrant clearance rate above the national average. This was a cooperative effort involving the BCSO Court Services and Fugitive Warrants Unit working closely with the TBI, U.S. Marshall’s Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives, and the U.S. Attorney.
 
Last year, we saw much greater cooperation between regional, state and even federal agencies. These surrounding areas are our neighbors and it helps citizens everywhere when law enforcement agencies join together to fight crime, whether it is in our own backyard or our neighbor’s backyard. We will continue to encourage these cooperative efforts throughout the coming year and beyond.

Prospect Elementary School held DARE graduation on Tuesday, January 15.  Three students, Marisa Estrada, Allisa Chancey, and Nikki Prugh, submitted the best essays on what they learned during the 10 week DARE program. Each fifth grade student is required to write an essay at the conclusion of the class. In the photo above are Lt. W.G. Campbell, Principal Steve Montgomery, Estrada, Chancey, Prugh, School Resource Officer Heather Mason and Capt. Jon Collins, patrol supervisor of the sheriff's office.

More photos of the graduation.

The Traffic Unit of the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office is continuing an investigation of a head-on crash Sunday night on Dalton Pike (State Highway 60) at Lynn Drive.

The crash involved a northbound Ford Explorer driven by Steven Voyles, 43, of Blackburn Road and a southbound Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Abigail Ferguson, 41, of Danview Street.

Passengers in the Tahoe, Rebecca Ferguson, 8, and Benjamin Ferguson, 12, were also injured. All involved were transported to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga by three medical helicopters and were admitted.

A 9-1-1 call Friday of a burglary-in-progress at 210 Wild Oak Road SE resulted in the arrest of a suspect by Bradley County Sheriff’s deputies. The caller gave personnel in the communications center a description of the suspect and the vehicle he was driving.

School Resource Officer Nathan Headrick at Valley View Elementary School heard the call and responded. On Keith Valley Road he spotted a vehicle fitting the description and followed it into a driveway in the 800 block.

The suspect, Mitchell Lee Cross, 30, of Etowah, was taken into custody without incident.

The witness reported seeing several items carried out of the residence. The loss included three guns, a tool set and CD player valued at $1,345. A full recovery was made.

The Criminal Investigations Division took over the investigation. Cross is charged with aggravated burglary, theft over $1,000, driving on a suspended license, simple possession of schedule II, possession of schedule VI, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of drug paraphernalia.