LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Just last week, almost 200 criminals were arrested in a coordinated search by several agencies in Arkansas known as Operation Xtended Stay.
The U.S. Marshals Service Eastern Arkansas Fugitive Task Force partnered with Arkansas State Police, (ASP), North Little Rock Police, Little Rock Police, Jacksonville Police, Maumelle Police, and the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office all in a joint operation to take wanted and repeat offenders off Central Arkansas streets.
"This operation as remarkable as it's been is the first of more to come," said U.S. Eastern District Attorney Jonathan Ross.
The U.S. Marshal's Office said the operation took months of planning. They first asked local police departments who are the most wanted fugitives in the area. Then, they prepared for how they would arrest the individuals.
To help in the operation, Arkansas State Police contributed over twenty emergency response team members, provided air support, and also hosted the Unified Command Center for the operation. They made 71 arrests which included 12 felony charges and also issued close to 630 traffic citations.
“Arkansas State Police will always support and assist our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners,” said ASP Colonel Mike Hagar. “Operation X-Tended Stay is an extension of our other recent efforts, such as Operation Safe Streets, to saturate Pulaski County, combating criminal activity that had been on the rise in recent months.”
Operation Safe Streets began in May and is an ASP initiative that was begun with the intention of saturating the Little Rock metro with a larger police presence to cut down on criminal activity.
Their ongoing efforts have been tremendously successful, and have had a total of 2,404 officer violation contacts, with 1,473 arrests which include 53 DWI violations and 202 speeding violations.
The combined efforts of all the agencies have resulted in the arrests of three homicide suspects, four people wanted on battery 1st warrants, eight aggravated assaults, 19 weapons violations, four robbery suspects, 12 convicted sex offenders wanted for failure to register, 59 felony narcotic offenses, three people wanted for probation violations, and eight parole absconders.
Police also were able to take nine illegal firearms, as well as some methamphetamine, ketamine, and fentanyl off the streets in Arkansas.