LUCAS COUNTY, OH (Toledo News Now) - Law enforcement in Lucas County arrested several people accused of violent crimes on Wednesday as part of an annual domestic violence sweep.
The sheriff's office and other agencies started with a list of 201 suspects. Of those, 40 were already book. Officers arrested another 56 Wednesday by knocking on doors and tracking them down.
One of those was 26-year-old Tanisha Holland. Holland was picked up in the 400 block of Bronson. Sheriff's deputies say she had an open warrant for domestic violence, and one for assault stemming from an incident in May.
Lucas County Sheriff John Tharp says this is a never-ending cycle. They've been conducting an annual sweep for 17 years now and they'd like to one day see it come to an end.
"We will continue to do our sweeps," Tharp said. "They are important. We want those individuals that have the warrants for them – we want them to turn themselves in. This is not going to end today. We will continue every day throughout the year looking for individuals that have warrants."
At a couple stops made by the sheriff's office and US Marshals, officers were told the suspects they were looking for are in Detroit. Authorities say their efforts will shift to finding those suspects immediately.
And no one is immune to domestic violence. According to Sue Lane, director of the YWCA Battered Women's Shelter, men abuse women, women abuse men, and children are the most affected. She says turning a blind eye to domestic violence needs to stop.
"We need to no longer say, 'That's my neighbor's problem.' We need to do something about that by calling 911 or saying, 'You know what? That child is having a problem as a result. I need to do something about that,'" she said.
Lane says it's important for victims to know the YWCA's services are confidential and they're available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Sheriff Tharp says the sweep targets around 200 people each year, so this is an average year, but Lane says the shelter has seen an increase in men and women asking for help.
If you're a victim of domestic violence and need help, call the Battered Women's Shelter at 888-341-7386 or visit their website.
