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Constables start warrant roundup Thursday
By Conner Hammett, chammett@starlocalnews.com
All Collin County constable precincts will come together to “round up” those with outstanding warrants over the next several months.
Deputies from constable Precincts 1, 2, 3 and 4 will assist one another in executing the warrants, tackling each precinct month by month.
Arrests will start Thursday in Precinct 3, headed up by Constable Sammy Knapp and comprising nine cities including Plano, Murphy, Parker, Allen and Lucas. Warrants will likely be executed in Precinct 4 next month, followed by Precincts 2 and 1, Knapp said.
Fifteen to 18 deputies will be executing warrants in the precinct for offenses such truancy, bad checks, TollTag violations and unpaid speeding tickets, Knapp said.
“Manpower’s short, but we’re just trying to be on board with the other agencies doing their roundups for this next 10 days or so,” he said.
There are currently about 23,000 unexecuted Class C warrants in Collin County valued at roughly $9 million, said Precinct 4 Constable Joe Wright.
The constables are coming together for the effort following the loss of their warrant deputy because of county budget cuts last year, Wright said.
“We’re trying to use what resources we can to maximize our presence during this time,” he said. “The constable’s office did a warrant roundup last year and it was highly successful.”
Most of the offenders have already received postcards warning of the issuance of the warrant, Knapp said. Those on the warrant list may be arrested at home or at work, and warrants from other agencies or felony charges may come to light if a person is arrested.
Wright said residents can still resolve their warrants at a constable’s or justice of the peace office if deputies show up at their home while they are away and leave a notice.
“Our objective is not to take people to jail,” he said. “Our objective is to have people pay their fines, so if we do not make contact with them that day they can come to our office or the JP’s office to settle their fines and get rid of their warrants.”
Deputies from constable Precincts 1, 2, 3 and 4 will assist one another in executing the warrants, tackling each precinct month by month.
Arrests will start Thursday in Precinct 3, headed up by Constable Sammy Knapp and comprising nine cities including Plano, Murphy, Parker, Allen and Lucas. Warrants will likely be executed in Precinct 4 next month, followed by Precincts 2 and 1, Knapp said.
Fifteen to 18 deputies will be executing warrants in the precinct for offenses such truancy, bad checks, TollTag violations and unpaid speeding tickets, Knapp said.
“Manpower’s short, but we’re just trying to be on board with the other agencies doing their roundups for this next 10 days or so,” he said.
There are currently about 23,000 unexecuted Class C warrants in Collin County valued at roughly $9 million, said Precinct 4 Constable Joe Wright.
The constables are coming together for the effort following the loss of their warrant deputy because of county budget cuts last year, Wright said.
“We’re trying to use what resources we can to maximize our presence during this time,” he said. “The constable’s office did a warrant roundup last year and it was highly successful.”
Most of the offenders have already received postcards warning of the issuance of the warrant, Knapp said. Those on the warrant list may be arrested at home or at work, and warrants from other agencies or felony charges may come to light if a person is arrested.
Wright said residents can still resolve their warrants at a constable’s or justice of the peace office if deputies show up at their home while they are away and leave a notice.
“Our objective is not to take people to jail,” he said. “Our objective is to have people pay their fines, so if we do not make contact with them that day they can come to our office or the JP’s office to settle their fines and get rid of their warrants.”
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