Deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff Department take into custody a sex offender who was found in possession of weapons during a search in San Bernardino on Saturday May 2, 2015.
More than 600 search warrants were served Saturday, May 2, to San Bernardino County sex offenders in an annual multi-agency “sweep.” Officials said this year’s sweep yielded less arrests, less violations and more compliance.
In an effort to keep a close watch on registered sex offenders, authorities served more than 500 search warrants in San Bernardino County on Saturday.googleoff: allgoogleon: all
The result? Better compliance by those targeted, officials said.googleoff: allgoogleon: all
Officers from the Redlands and San Bernardino police departments, San Bernardino County deputies, San Bernardino County Probation and Parole officials and the California Department of Corrections banded together in “Operation Broken Heart,” an annual sweep of the county’s registered sex offenders on parole or probation. The program is part of a nationwide effort.googleoff: allgoogleon: all
Saturday’s sweep consisted of teams contacting sex offenders on parole and probation, verifying addresses and contact information, doing a search of homes, and serving any outstanding warrants.googleoff: allgoogleon: all
Officers also searched sex offenders’ phones and computers for any material that might violate the terms of their probation or parole.googleoff: allgoogleon: all
Sheriff’s Department detective Don Patton, who organized the San Bernardino County operation, said this year’s sweep yielded less confiscated items and less arrests than previous years.googleoff: allgoogleon: all
“We saw a lot more compliance this year,” Patton said. “When you are a sex offender on parole or probation, you’re not supposed to have pornography or be near any children, so the first year we did this, we had a lot of arrests for those types of violations. This year, that has declined.”googleoff: allgoogleon: all
Authorities said 19 arrests were made and 73 offenders were found to be out of compliance.Patton said the majority of those arrests were for misdemeanors and traffic warrants.googleoff: allgoogleon: all
“In the past we’ve had numerous gun charges, drugs and parole and probation violations,” Patton said.googleoff: allgoogleon: all
Redlands Police detective Mike Merriman said the check of 90 people in his area yielded no arrests.googleoff: allgoogleon: all
“There were no surprises,” he said.googleoff: allgoogleon: all
Sheriff’s Department deputy Eric Ogaz headed a team serving warrants in Highland. At about noon, Ogaz and his team searched the home of a parolee, and found firearms, unarmed grenades, knives and a small amount of methamphetamine.googleoff: allgoogleon: all
Merriman said all of the agencies cooperated well together, making for a quick, efficient sweep.googleoff: allgoogleon: all
That cooperation helps to keep sex offenders on their toes, Patton said.googleoff: allgoogleon: all
“It shows the offender that we’re working together as a team,” Patton said. “(Sex offenders) know that law enforcement officers and probation and parole officers are all working together for one common goal: to make sure they’re all staying in compliance.”