Bartow County Sheriff discusses dangers of serving warrants
by Shaka S. Lias
Jan 28, 2011 | 2460 views | 0 0 comments | 6 6 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Sheriff Clark Millsap can make a bold statement, not because he is served more than 26 years in law enforcement and not because he is bias, but because he believes in his men and women.

"I will stack my SWAT team up against anybody's team -- that goes for state and federal -- they're that good," he said.

Warrants, the SWAT team and the dangers of the job are just a few things Millsap discussed earlier this week.

Millsap said many things factor into when decisions are made about serving warrants and if the SWAT Team will be involved.

Millsap said there are several ways to get a warrant. To serve one for a private citizen, they go to the magistrate judge showing cause for the warrant, a hearing is set and it's issued.

If an officer witnesses a crime working the streets an arrest is made and a warrant is issued.

"Warrants can be done electronically with the court or they can be filled out, and taken to the judge to sign," Millsap.

Millsap said all warrants are state issued. "Most of the people in jail are a result of a state warrant which can be felony and misdemeanor warrants."

Millsap said deciding when the SWAT team will be used depends on many situations such as "If it is an execution of a felony warrant and we are going up against some really bad guys," he said.

Or if they are doing a search warrant on an establishment or house and they know there are guns involved.

Millsap said they take precautions to make sure no innocent people are hurt.

"We go into a situation not wanting to hurt anybody but if that person escalates it, then we do what we have to and that's the problem we run into," he said.

Millsap said for the most part when there is a knock search warrant or probable cause to enter a residence the people inside will comply with officers giving direct orders.

However, there are times when they don't want people to know they are coming. That's when no-knock warrants come in. Millsap said that way evidence is not destroyed.

He said it would be so much easier if people complied with officers.

"You see seven to eight armed officers and they are giving you verbal demands, all you have to do is comply," he said.

The most dangerous situations in law enforcement involve domestic violence, Millsap said, because the officer never knows what they are walking into.

The recent incident in St. Petersburg, Fla., where two officers lost their lives serving warrants, is a prime example. Millsap said being in law enforcement, one can never be too cautious.

"Those officers are no longer with us as a result of someone taking their lives when all they had to do was give themselves up" he said.

Millsap said it's a sad situation in all police departments.

"Anytime an officer is slain in the line of duty, anytime a citizen is slain because of an officer doing his duty, it's tragic and it's a tragedy."

Millsap said everyday an officer straps on their vest and gun they should say a prayer.

"Today is not the day that my life is taken or I have to take a life."