Officer Chris Rankin

Public Information Officer

903-798-3187 (office) 903-260-0294 (pager)

903-824-4199 (cell) 903-798-3023 (fax)

Texarkana Arkansas Police Badge

Re: "Bust Out" Warrants Served

The Texarkana Arkansas Police Department made several early morning arrests following an extensive investigation into suspected gang activity that has occurred recently.

"Operation Safe Neighborhood" targeted several individuals who have been involved in violent crime in our area. The names of those arrested are as follows:

* Gary Lollis (b/m/21 Texarkana, AR)

* Willie Whitmore (b/m/23 Texarkana, AR)

* Brandon Waller (b/m/18 Texarkana, AR)

* Gregory Lewis (b/m/26 Texarkana, AR)

* Roland Smith (b/m/18 Texarkana, AR)

* Willie Tatum (b/m/20 Texarkana, AR)

* Brioni Dansby (b/m/19 Texarkana, AR)

* Jamarcus Brown (b/m/18 Texarkaan, AR)

The warrants served include charges of Battery 1st, and Engaging in Continual Criminal Enterprise.

The arrest warrants stem from numerous incidents that have taken place over the course of approximately 6 months. The suspects that have been arrested are believed to have been involved in a variety of crimes ranging from shootings and weapons possession to narcotics trafficking.

Other incidents that have taken place have involved crimes of violence directed toward members of rival gangs from each side of town. Generally speaking, what has taken place up to this point has been that a group from one side of town, or one neighborhood, will do something to offend another rival group from another area of town. This creates a cycle of retaliation that has most recently involved shots being fired into a rival's home or car, and in many cases the surrounding homes of innocent victims. In many cases the neighbors do not report these incidents to police due to fear of retaliation by gang members. Most commonly, these crimes have been discovered by officers who are investigating separate incidents, or through confidential informants.

It has become very obvious to the police department that law abiding citizens who happen to live near these individuals do not appreciate their activities. Since beginning investigation into the cases against the listed suspects, detectives have received excellent coooperation from local citizens.

Police Chief Bob Harrison is quoted as saying, "The activities of the individuals arrested in this investigation have threatened the safety and wellbeing of their entire community. In most cases their criminal actions have crossed state lines. Our officers and detectives have pursued enhancement statutes against these individuals. We have learned through previous experience in dealing with gangs that the most efficient way of ridding the city of this type of activity is to aggressively pursue these individuals and see to it that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Our local prosecutors have cooperated with our investigations. We have arrested these individuals and it is now in the hands of our prosecutors to see to it that justice is carried out. We also know from past experience that low bail amounts and plea bargaining does us no good. Our stance at the police department is that these individuals need to be taken off of our streets for as long as possible through lengthy sentences."

The Texarkana Arkansas Police Department began dealing with gang enforcement in the mid 1990's after similar increases in gang violence. During that time aggressive enforcement efforts were implemented and the city has been virtually free from gang activity for almost 10 years. Most of the individuals who were arrested during the original enforcement efforts were either jailed with lengthy sentences or they simply moved out of the area due to increased law enforcement pressure. What we are dealing with at this point is a group of individuals who, in most cases, were in elementary school or younger during the mid 1990's.

Effective immediately the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department will again take on a zero tolerance policy regarding any type of suspected gang activity and acts of vandalism or civil disturbance. This comes on the heels of increases in enforcement of city ordinances regarding code violations. In addition to this, enforcement of juvenile curfew laws and violation of city noise ordinances will be strictly enforced. With the exception of a very small group of individuals, Texarkana Arkansas has seen very little organized gang activity in the last decade. This "bust-out" is the first step in again ridding our city of trouble makers.

The police department encourages anyone with any information regarding ongoing criminal activity to call 911 to report the incident. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may contact the CrimeStoppers Hotline at (903)793-STOP. CrimeStoppers will pay up to $1000 dollars for information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for any felony crime.

Thank you and you can visit the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department online at http://www.txkusa.org/arkpolice.