MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A sweep is underway to get people wanted for driving while intoxicated off the roads.
Seventy-five officers — some in uniform, others in plain clothes — served more than 300 warrants for people wanted for DWI. They came from more than a dozen law enforcement agencies across Hennepin County.
Their goal is to get repeat offenders or those avoiding court orders off the streets.
“These folks are going to hunt them down,” said Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek.
It’s a ramped up version of what deputies do on a daily basis, serving warrants to folks who have managed to stay hidden from prosecution.
“These are folks that have evaded the law. These are folks that do not want to be taken into custody. It’s extremely dangerous to knock on someone’s door,” Stanek said.
In teams of four, crews hit the streets.
“They’re going to go to their homes. They are going to go to their businesses. They’re going to go to their friend’s home and their parents’ home,” Stanek said.
Team members learn who they are looking for before they knock.
These wanted criminals are hard to find, sometimes crews come up empty handed but on this day, they got who they were looking for.
“Right now, he is going to be on his way to the Hennepin County Jail. He’s going to get booked in and be in front of a judge tomorrow at 9,” said Deputy Dave Higgins.
This detail knows they will not always be this lucky.
Most of the time it’s family and friends that persuade those wanted to turn themselves in, to keep from hearing a knock at the door.
“Usually what happens is after two or three or four stops, if we are not able to find the individual the very next day that individual is like, ‘Hey I’m here to turn myself in on an outstanding warrant,’” Stanek said.
The DWI warrant sweep was just not for Tuesday, deputies will continue to look for offenders until the end of the year.
The hope is many learn they are wanted and turn themselves into authorities.
