The name of the undertaking is, well, arresting. The city of Little Rock has joined forces with the state and the feds in what's being called Operation Ceasefire. It's a formidable goal. But unlike a military shooting range, not everybody just stops when they hear the words.
More than 60 people have been arrested in the last week; authorities say they are "some of the most sought-after suspects in Little Rock," according to Dale Ellis' story. It's an effort to get the most violent among us off the streets. Officials say more arrests will be made soonest.
The police chief in Little Rock, Keith Humphrey, said: "We're not going to ease up. If you are a violent person in this city, or criminal in this city, we're going to get you."
We'll see. For the city has been fighting this problem for at least a generation. Remember "Bangin' in Little Rock" from 1994? That HBO documentary wasn't the first instance of violence on the streets of the capital city.
But credit where due. It'd be easier for all these officials to sleep-walk to retirement and let the streets lead to . . . wherever they'd lead. And just react to 911 calls. And tell the press they're doing all they can do. Then call for more money. And let the next group of leaders deal with the responsibility.
Instead, city officials have been putting in some real hours. They've been having town halls. Walking door to door. Coordinating with volunteers. It's been ground work, and nothing else replaces that.
And then, the crackdown.
Because all the knocking on doors and town halls in the world aren't going to make the community any safer unless the bad actors are rounded up. Those people don't attend town halls. They don't take pledges to work with police. They would laugh at the police chief's words. They have to be taken off the streets.
According to this new task force, the U.S. Marshals' office, the FBI, North Little Rock/Pine Bluff/Air Guard, and all the other agencies involved, nine of the top 10 most wanted suspects were taken off Little Rock's streets in one day. A total of 61 people were arrested, with a total of 78 felonies assigned to them. And 12 firearms were confiscated.
"Those arrested were wanted for crimes including capital murder, rape, aggravated assault, battery, terroristic acts, aggravated robbery, and various drug and other charges," said acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ross. If we were at the press conference, we might have asked how many are still being held--and how many met bond and were released again.
But even if some of those arrested made bail, this latest task force might have made their lives a little more difficult. And perhaps they'd be less inclined to start shooting up a neighborhood--or even better, find a new place to do their business. Like in another time zone. We'll see.
George Savile, a British statesman from long ago, once said that men are not hanged for stealing horses, but that horses may not be stolen. The point isn't necessarily to fill the jails in Little Rock, but to keep the streets safe so that little girls can go to the park without fear of being shot, for land's sake. And people can drive to the grocer without fear they'll lose their vehicle in a carjacking. Or any number of things that make life so unlivable in certain precincts.
Let's hope the city's latest crackdown will be more than a temporary fix. Or a temporary pause. Or a temporary anything.
We'll see.