A Lot of Questions Few Answers

Far removed from most of Charlotte citizens daily lives there are a group of law enforcement personnel who "operate" under the Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force (CRFTF).

Background

The Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force (CRFTF) has partnership agreements with four federal and 68 state and local agencies; and operates in South Carolina and North Carolina . 

The Task Force (CRFTF) has apprehended more than 8,900 fugitives in the Carolinas since its inception.

Members of the Task Force are deputised US Marshals. It is the modern day equivalent of a US Marshal's pose in the American West during the late 1800's.

The Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force (CRFTF) began operations in January of 2018 under the Presidential Threat Protection Act of 2000. The Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force (CRFTF) is the newest Regional Fugitive Task Force. 

The US Marshal's website promotes the Task Force like this:

The Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force (CRFTF) has made an extraordinary impact on the apprehension of the region’s most dangerous and violent fugitives striving to make their communities a safer place.

Subject 

More than a week ago upon information and belief a warrant was secured for the arrest of a career felon.

Just months before four law enforcement officers were killed and five others were injured during a standoff, the man at the center of the deaths led police on a high-speed chase in Lincoln County.

Lincoln County Sheriff Bill Beam said one of his officers tried to pull over the suspect in January, but instead of stopping he decided to run. Sheriff Beam said a supervisor called off the short chase once the officer identified the license plate number, which was registered to a woman.

This was just another crime connected to the suspect. His list of convictions began 20 years ago and charges range from traffic to felony B&E. There are random weapons charges but nothing that would rise to this level of violence.

With 2 years and 3 months of total incarnation time according to the NCDOC.

But there are countless dismissed charges that cause alarm and then there are the crimes he committed that haven't been discovered. 

Task Force Operations

We will in good time learn what happened on Monday April 29th.

Sources familiar with the work of the US Marshal Task force say the Officers are extremely well trained and typically form a very cohesive team. 

Entry is typically made with a team stacked up at the door and quickly securing the interior of the premises and taking the suspect into custody. 

But the planning starts well before the arrest is made.

Intel is at the forefront. They talk to family, friends and informants. Cellphone pings and activity, technology surveillance is utilized and ultimately a plan is formulated.

The team may even set up in a nearby parking lot to practice the entry based of the knowledge before hand. 

Depending on the subject's habits the time of day for the arrest is made accordingly. It may have been that the suspect was known to take midday naps at the home at 5525 Galway Drive, Charlotte, NC, 28215. It may have been that he only occasionally stayed at the location. 

It is likely the team knew of the motion sensitive device on the right side of the house overlooking the driveway.

What we don't know is how the shooter managed to get a tactical advantage on the team before they could make entry.

US Marshals do not typically have BWCs so there may not be the typical fire fight video for review.

The response to the first shots fired officer down was without comparison. In the end it wasn't enough to save four heros.

North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Offices Sam Poloche and Alden Elliot, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Officer Joshua Eyer and US Deputy Marshal Tommy Weeks died a week ago. Forever heros.

We continue to seek answers.

One more thing - The cost of this event will be far greater reaching than many of us realize. Politicians that we have elected to Charlotte City Council are clueless and many of us who value and obey the law don't understand the complexity of policing. 

You will see the clowns who complain that going after a low level perp was a waste. But if you don't draw the line here then where? The public forgets that many of the crimes committed by career criminals go undetected. 

I get the entire hidey hole thing. I don't agree with it. Josh by all accounts was at the other end of the spectrum. 

Those who know me also know that my wife and I have a lot of family that work in public safety, among them a Battalion Chief, a former FBI internet crimes now Bank Fraud Investigator, a retired CMPD Sergeant, two former Independence Division Officers one on disability (damn overachiever) two Rookie Officers . A former West Virginia Bureau of Criminal Investigations Agent, a US State Department Diplomatic Security Special Agent and one stand up guy who is also a part of the CRFTF. So yeah last Monday was hard.