(LaPorte County, IN) - A special police task force operating out of LaPorte County had another successful year reeling in fugitives.

The Fugitive Apprehension Street Team includes officers from the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department, Michigan City Police, and United States Marshals Service.

According to Sheriff John Boyd, in 2021 the FAST team worked 574 cases involving 1,382 separate criminal charges. They arrested 449 fugitives, including 41 murder suspects and another 41 suspected child molesters. The arrests came from across northwest Indiana, as the team assists agencies all over the area. "Their work has made our region substantially safer," said Boyd. He also praised the team's productivity. "They're among the most productive in the entire nation," he told the Sheriff's Merit Board this week, "and certainly the most productive task force in the entire state of Indiana."

At the Merit Board meeting, Boyd also read a letter from the Senior Inspector of the U.S. Marshals Service commending two FAST team members for their recent efforts in a manhunt. Sergeant Brett Swanson and Deputy Keith Wilson were instrumental in locating suspects involved in the murder and attempted murder of two Bradley, Illinois police officers two weeks ago.