News 9's Ride-Along With The OCSO Warrants Team

Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office deputies are on the streets every day tracking down people wanted for all types of crimes.

The warrants team let News 9 ride along as they picked up offenders accused of violent crimes.

A day for the Oklahoma County warrants team means driving all over the metro and stepping into potentially dangerous situations. Most days the outcome ends in a trip to the county jail. “We have to expect violence from everybody to begin with,” said Lt. Mike Chitwood, Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office. 

Their day started with a list of offenders and their last known addresses. Lieutenant Mike Chitwood led the team into northeast Oklahoma City to find a man wanted for attacking a woman with a knife. “This subject was Donald Blair,” said Chitwood. “He was staying at his uncle’s house. He was wanted for domestic assault and battery with a deadly weapon.”

The deputies have to stay patient but persistent. Not everyone answers on the first knock. “At first we were told he wasn’t there,” said Chitwood. “The guy said he didn’t know if he was there or not.”

The assault suspect eventually came out of the home. However, a peaceful ending does not always happen. Chitwood's body camera was rolling the day before when he came across a man wanted out of another county. “One of the subjects did have a felony warrant out of Cleveland County,” said Chitwood. “We attempted to put handcuffs on him and as we did, he decided to resist.”

Chitwood’s body camera footage showed the scuffle with the man refusing to cooperate. While some suspects put up a fight, others walk right into a warrant check. “Our next guy is John Ragsdale,” said Chitwood. “He’s wanted on a couple of felony warrants.”

As deputies were checking on a relative's home, Ragsdale stood across the street unaware authorities were looking for him. “The judge wants to see you again,” said Chitwood. 

Chitwood said most of their day involved domestic violence warrants and people who have violated victim's protective orders. Not everyone complies when they hear a knock at the door. “So, nobody answered the door on that, which isn’t uncommon,” said Chitwood. “They see the police and they don’t answer the door.”

For those who do cooperate, they are taken to the Oklahoma County Detention Center and booked in. “This is what we do every day,” said Chitwood.

Chitwood said booking suspects into jail takes up the majority of their time. The team always stays together for safety.