Monitoring Hamilton County’s '12 Most Wanted'

Makie James Johnson eluded Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office deputies for 10 years.

But he couldn’t escape two flat-panel TV monitors installed in the Hamilton County-Chattanooga Courts Building.

Mr. Johnson, who was wanted on a decade-old rape charge, was arrested after someone saw his picture on the monitors in the downtown building and alerted authorities to his whereabouts.

“Because of our monitor program, criminals like these are no longer walking our streets committing crimes against our citizens,” said G.A. Bennett, director of support services for the sheriff’s office.

The faces and crimes of Hamilton County’s “12 Most Wanted” have flashed across the 55-inch, flat-panel TV monitors inside the building’s first and second floor entrances since mid-September.

Before their installation, authorities had arrested 115 fugitives on the list over two years. Since September, 24 more have been apprehended.

“A good portion of people that do business in this building either know the people who are wanted or are themselves wanted,” Sheriff Jim Hammond said. “We’ve actually had people turn themselves in. They just thought, ‘Hey, this is a losing battle.’”

Two separate families saw relatives on the screen and contacted sheriff’s officials, Mr. Bennett said. Another man was arrested in front of his home selling drugs after he was recognized on a monitor by a person from Alabama, he said.

When a fugitive is apprehended, a deputy updates the list to show the arrest. The person remains on the list for three days and then is replaced by someone else.

Sheriff Hammond said he is considering the possibility of offering live video feeds of the most-wanted criminals to other courthouses in the county, including East Ridge and Soddy-Daisy, if those municipalities provide their own monitors.

East Ridge City Manager William Whitson said he didn’t know if the sheriff had spoken to the city’s staff about the feeds, but he was willing to consider anything to help the sheriff’s office arrest criminals in the area.

“It’s amazing how people move around,” Mr. Whitson said. “Anything we can to be proactive to catch these people, we’ll do.”

ELEMENTS

* 2 — 55-inch, flat panel TVs in Hamilton County-Chattanooga Courts Building

* 2 years — Time the “12 Most Wanted” program has been in place

* Sept. 11 — Day the flat-panel TVs were installed

* 115 — “12 Most Wanted” arrests before Sept. 11

* 24 — “12 Most Wanted” arrests after monitors installed

Source: Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office