Every month this year the Benton Police Department will have a different initiative that we will call attention to in relation to a public safety issue. The month of May is going to be ‘Turn Yourself in or you MAY Get Put in Jail’, which is a warrant initiative which will have two primary objectives.
First, we currently have over 1,500 active warrants in our system and this initiative will help us cut down on the backlog. Officers from every division will be working the initiative during the month of May in an attempt to serve the warrants.
Secondly, we will be offering an amnesty to individuals with misdemeanor warrants including failure to appear warrants and commitments. This will allow anyone who turns themselves in the opportunity to not go to jail and work on rescheduling payments on their warrant. This amnesty only applies to those who turn themselves in, because if they are caught by officers they will still go to jail. If located by officers they will also run the risk of embarrassment if arrested at work or home, and the impounding of their vehicle if found during a traffic stop.
It’s our hope that individuals with misdemeanor warrants will turn themselves in and avoid jail time and other issues with getting caught. Those with questions about the program, either on how it works or if they think they may have a warrant, are encouraged to contact the Benton Police Department at 501-776-5948 from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. They may also stop by the police department, located at 114 S. East St. Suite 100, and take care of their warrant.
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