The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office has formed the “Street Crimes Unit” to address the growing number of crimes associated with drugs and their connection to violence.  The unit is an added resource to other Sheriff’s Office bureaus as well as other area law enforcement agencies.

“This elite unit actively pursues those who commit violent crimes, particularly those incidents that have a connection to illegal drugs and organized crime.  With crime on the increase, this unit will help us in our effort to keep our community as safe as possible,” said Shelby County Sheriff Mark H. Luttrell, Jr.

The hand-picked team of deputies in the “Street Crimes Unit” review crime statistics daily and classify the offenses to identify possible suspects.  Once key information is developed, the unit shares the leads and suspect information with other local and federal law enforcement agencies in Shelby and the surrounding counties.

The work of the Sheriff’s “Street Crimes Unit” has already cleared many cases, including two recent murders in Shelby County.  In the November 2006 murder of Lakeland resident Archie Barkley, deputies in the “Street Crimes Unit” quickly realized his murder was connected to a string of home burglaries which were allegedly committed by the suspects to pay for their use of illegal drugs.

“Street Crimes Unit” deputies working with their fellow deputies in the Sheriff’s Detective and Patrol Bureaus quickly developed leads in the murder of a man in North Shelby County in December 2006.  Within hours of the crime, a suspect was in custody.  He and another man were charged with killing William Craig.

Here are some of the many accomplishments of the Sheriff’s Office “Street Crimes Unit” since it was formed on October 23, 2006:

Arrests

• Federal Law Enforcement Cases: 4
• Sheriff’s Office and Other Area Police Department Cases: 43

Illegal Drugs Seized

• 2 1/2 kilos of cocaine-street value $50,000
• 3 pounds marijuana-street value $17,000
• 2 ounces crack cocaine-street value-$1400

Criminal Gang Members Identified During SCU investigations: 36

Vehicles Seized:  9

Weapons Recovered:  9

 “The arrests and seizures by the ‘Street Crimes Unit’ indicate what can happen when law enforcement agencies work together.  Collaborating with local, federal and neighboring county agencies is our best chance to help control crime,” added Sheriff Luttrell.