Operation Fight Back

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The Spencer County Prosecutor's Office and Spencer County Sheriff's Department have worked together to form and begin implementing "Operation Fight Back", one of the most ambitious crime fighting efforts ever to be launched by law enforcement in Spencer County history. The Prosecutor's Office and Sheriff's Department have been working on the program for several months and many of its components are already in use. The program is being developed and coordinated by the Spencer County Prosecutor's Office and Sheriff's Department in cooperation with law enforcement agencies in Spencer County and the Indiana State Police. "Operation Fight Back" is a comprehensive plan to aid in the fight against crime by stressing partnership, cooperation, and communication between law enforcement organizations, the Prosecutor's Office, and the community. The purpose of "Operation Fight Back" is to get better organized and to get the public involved in the fight against crime. With the increase in the number of drug arrests and drug cases being prosecuted in Spencer County it is hoped the program will be another effective weapon in the detection, arrest, and prosecution of offenders. Furthermore, it is hoped the program will cause some offenders to think twice about violating the law or at least move elsewhere if they are going to do so. The components of "Operation Fight Back" include:

Law Enforcement / Prosecutor's Office • Establish drug task force made up of the Prosecutor and members of all county law enforcement agencies. Meet bi-monthly to exchange drug enforcement intelligence information and prevention strategies. • Establish monthly meetings to exchange information between law enforcement agencies and Prosecutor's Office • Prosecutor's Office will send Police-Prosecutor updates with new developments in criminal law to the law enforcement agencies each month. • Prosecutor's Office and law enforcement will coordinate with probation department for searches of those who are on probation. • Prosecutor's Office will send summaries of new criminal law legislation to police agencies each year as the legislation is passed. • Establish 24 Hour access by law enforcement with Prosecutor via digital cellular phone. • Prosecutor's Office will seek county council approval yearly to spend a portion of the monies seized or collected from offenders to purchase anti-crime and anti-drug equipment for all law enforcement agencies operating in the county. • Prosecutor's Office will provide each department with search warrant application kits. • County will use NCIC/IDACS computer database through Spencer County Sheriff's Department to track the criminal histories of those charged with crimes.

Community / Law Enforcement / Prosecutor's Office • Hold community meetings in a different part of the county each month for the public to receive input from the public and to distribute information about crime in that part of the county. • Establish an anonymous County tip-line (1-800-615-6088) with no questions asked which will go directly into the Sheriff's private office. Calls requiring immediate attention should be made to 1-812-649-2286. • Establish a Police / Prosecutor Website on the Internet to post law enforcement information for citizens of Spencer County. • Conduct community meetings on issues of concern on a regular basis. (i.e. detection and danger of meth labs). • Setup county crime prevention advisory board and provide assistance in setting up neighborhood watch programs. • Regularly publicize Spencer County "Most-Wanted" fugitives and request community assistance with their apprehension in particular crime cases. • Recognize members of public for outstanding community service when they lead to arrest of offenders or lead anti-crime efforts. • Encourage community organizations including churches to participate in the identification of potential offenders, community service program for nonviolent offenders, mentoring program of our youth, and programs for the transition of convicted offenders back into our communities. • Victim's Rights will be fostered by increasing communications between law enforcement, Prosecutor's Office, and victims, and making sure restitution to victims is included as part of offenders' sentences. Work to obtain the first ever Victim's Advocate for Spencer County. • Keep requesting new officers (narcotics officers) for Sheriff's Department to be devoted exclusively to fighting drugs and working drug cases. • Use forfeiture actions in appropriate drug cases to obtain money for the county for use in fighting drugs and for other law enforcement purposes. • Support expansion of DARE and other anti-drugs and anti-violence programs for youth in our schools. • Support development of a county drug rehabilitation program for drug offenders.

We really have two choices when it comes to crime. We either sit back and let crime occur in our communities or we take a stand and fight back. The Prosecutor's Office and Sheriff's Department intend to fight back and we request the support of the county in doing so. With everyone working together, we have an excellent chance to keep Spencer County a great place to live, work, and raise our families.