No, the Baltimore City Sheriff's Office is not going after mothers on Mother's Day, but deputies are going after child support offenders.
Consider it their Mother's Day gift to the city.
Deputies will be out again before dawn Friday morning rounding up even more suspects. So far, they've arrested 48 offenders.
Sheriff John W. Anderson asked deputies to try and serve 250 outstanding child support warrants. "As the Sheriff, I recognize this is a priority issue effecting families in Baltimore City," he said in a statement. "The Sheriff's Office role in enforcing these warrants is unfortunately often the only method to insure that an absent parent will provide financial support for their children."
Here is a full statement from Anderson:
WEEK LONG "OPERATION MOTHERS DAY" RAID TARGETS CHILD SUPPORT OFFENDERS
Baltimore City, Maryland, Thursday, May 06, 2010- Baltimore City Deputy Sheriff's hit the streets at 4:30AM for their fourth day of warrant operations that are targeting child support offenders. By 11:30AM Deputies had arrested 11 individuals bringing the weeks total arrests to 48 offenders taken into custody and 54 warrants cleared by arrest.
Sheriff John W. Anderson tasked his Deputies with the goal of attempting 250 outstanding child support warrants during this operation. "As the Sheriff, I recognize this is a priority issue effecting families in Baltimore City". The Sheriff's Office role in enforcing these warrants is unfortunately often the only method to insure that an absent parent will provide financial support for their children" said Sheriff Anderson. In total over $193,731.00 in cash bails were listed on the warrants Deputies have served.
During the investigative phase leading up to this operation the Sheriff's Office was able to close 43 additional child support warrants. Captured on the raid were ten individuals wanted for child support violations that were also wanted on criminal warrants ranging from felony assault in the first degree, to narcotics violations.
"It is always better for everyone when people with warrants turn themselves in" said Sheriff Anderson. "However, if they do not, we are a participating Agency in The Maryland Drivers License Suspension Program and we maintain a full-time investigator who forwards all credible tips to the Warrant Squad Deputies. The Sheriff's Office of Baltimore City will continue this operation through Friday and conduct follow-up investigations in the following weeks.
Persons with outstanding warrants or individuals wanting to provide information on individuals with outstanding warrants are encouraged to contact the Baltimore City Sheriff's Office. Information may be provided anonymously. Contact the Baltimore City Sheriff's Office at (410) 396-1155