Franklin police made more than 100 traffic stops, arrested 13 people and gave 10 traffic tickets in just 12 hours as part of a blitz this week.
The saturation patrol, dubbed Operation Scarecrow, is the second in a series of organized patrols by the Franklin Police Department, which have a goal of getting drugs off the street and curbing other crimes, Chief Kirby Cochran said.
About 20 extra officers were on patrol Tuesday for the blitz, Cochran said.
Arrests were on the following charges: driving while suspended; drug possession; operating while intoxicated; and carrying a handgun without a license, according to department statistics.
Some people were arrested on multiple charges. Police also confiscated more than 12 grams of marijuana, more than 6 grams of controlled substances, more than 2 grams of methamphetamine and a handgun, statistics showed.
The department’s first saturation patrol, dubbed Operation Blue Knight, was in June, when officers made 24 arrests during that 12-hour blitz. The first operation resulted in more arrests because it was a summer Saturday, whereas this week’s patrol was on a rainy Tuesday, which typically means less criminal activity, Cochran said. Both times, the patrols targeted busy streets, the area around Interstate 65 and neighborhoods that are known for drug activity, he said.
Another similar operation is planned sometime later this year, as the department hopes to do them every few months. Having extra officers on the street deters crime and gives residents more peace of mind, Cochran said.
“If they (criminals) see a lot of cars out there, they are less likely to try something,” he said. “We talked to some residents on the eastside who were really comforted to see us.”
BY THE NUMBERS
Traffic stops: 103
Total arrests: 13
Driving while suspended: 11
Operating while intoxicated: 1
Drug possession: 6
Carrying a handgun without license: 1
Drugs confiscated: 2.2 grams of methamphetamine, 12.6 grams of marijuana, one THC vaping cartridge, 6.1 grams of a controlled substance
Guns confiscated: 1
Source: Franklin Police Department
