Wichita property-crimes task force reports $7.5 million recovered, 628 arrests

Captain Casey Slaughter, head of the Wichita Police Department’s Property Crimes Reduction Task Force, told a city press briefing that the unit has recovered ‘‘over 7 and a half million dollars’’ in stolen property and made more than 600 arrests since the task force’s launch.

Slaughter provided a detailed tally of results he said were recorded at the task force’s anniversary: 15 search warrants executed; 628 offenders arrested on property-crime charges; 410 stolen vehicles recovered; 51 firearms recovered; 632 warrants cleared; and seizures of illegal drugs. ‘‘These are way beyond any kind of expectations we would have had for the property crimes task force,’’ he said.

The captain said a recent multi-agency enforcement ‘‘blitz’’ involving vice detectives and outside partners produced 63 arrests and 13 vehicle recoveries over four days. He described the work as collaborative across jurisdictions: ‘‘They give us information, we give them information, and we’re able to work collaboratively together to solve these crimes,’’ Slaughter said.

Slaughter said the task force began on 10/14/2014 (a date he cited during the briefing) and also referred to marking a ‘‘one-year’’ milestone; the transcript contains both references. He further said the task force will continue as ‘‘a permanent fixture’’ and that the next 90-day enforcement iteration is scheduled to start Nov. 3, with staff recruiting additional partner agencies ahead of that period.

The host thanked the task force for a recent case solved in the host’s district and framed the unit’s work as both property recovery and a signal to retailers that Wichita seeks to limit crime. The briefing did not record new ordinances, budget votes, or formal policy changes tied to the task force.