MANSFIELD — There was not a squadron of law enforcement helicopters buzzing over Mansfield on Thursday evening.
No buildings were firebombed.
There was no escaped prison inmate running through the streets being pursued by police.
Despite a Facebook social media speculation buzz that erupted and grew as the evening went on, it was just another “saturation patrol” staged by the Mansfield Police Department and other law enforcement agencies aimed at reducing violent crime in the city.
It was similar to a similar effort conducted by law enforcement in Mansfield in June, efforts aimed at curbing gun violence led by the MPD’s Community Action Team.
Mansfield police, beginning around 6 p.m., were assisted by officers from Ontario, Shelby and Lexington, as well as deputies from the Richland County Sheriff’s Office.
There was also one (1) helicopter from the Ohio State Highway Patrol to assist in the event suspects tried to flee from police.
“It goes back to my theory if that you have criminal activity going on, you have got to get it in its face,” Mansfield police Chief Jason Bammann said Friday morning.
The chief said the operation was planned before a 19-year-old Mansfield man was shot and killed early Sunday morning on South Main Street. That was the fifth homicide during 2024 in the city.
The chief said officers made more than 70 car stops and/or citizen contacts during Thursday evening in an area of the city Bammann said statistically showed higher incidents of crime, especially reported shootings.
In one instance, police attempted to stop a car that decided to flee. It was ultimately stopped near the intersection of Hedges and First streets.
“The vehicle had four occupants. One of the passengers had arrest warrants from Kentucky and Illinois for ‘engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity,'” the chief said. “He was taken to jail and he will be extradited.”
Bammann said in another instance a man stopped in a car attempted to fight with police.
“He ended up going to jail for possession of methamphetamine,” the chief said. “We didn’t seize any firearms last night, but we made a plethora of arrests on drugs or warrants.”
The chief said the “saturation patrols” are a direct response to the gun violence Mansfield experienced in 2023 when local police investigated a record-high 12 gun homicides.
“We will continue operations like this as long as we have violent crime continuing in this city,” Bammann said.
Regarding the social media speculations Thursday night, the chief said informing the public before such a “saturation patrol” would make it less effective.
“This is all about catching criminal activity as it’s happening,” he said.
He said the department would alert residents if public safety was endangered by something like an escaped prisoner or if law enforcement needed assistance locating a missing child.
“The purpose of events like last night is to identify individuals in the community who are committing crimes against citizens and remove them from our streets,” he said.
