The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office kicked off a concentrated two-day roundup Thursday of men – and a few women – who are delinquent with child support payments and Sheriff Gerald Robinson said the “Operation Mother’s Day” effort got off to a good start.
The Mother’s Day focus will continue through Friday.
Robinson said seven arrests were made Thursday, and another six offenders “came into compliance” by making payment arrangements to eliminate their delinquent child support accounts. Since January, 26 child support orders have been executed, Robinson said.
“This is going to be a continuing venture as long as I’m sheriff,” Robinson said. “This was a campaign promise in my initial campaign in 2006 and it’s very dear to me. We’re going to work diligently with the child support office on this, not just during Operation Mother’s Day, but throughout the year. We’ll take care of business as orders come in.”
Sheriff’s Office personnel have compiled a list of individuals reported as non-compliant with the Office of Child Support Enforcement on court-ordered child support payments. Earlier this week, the Sheriff’s Office urged those persons to come into compliance by making payment arrangements with child support officials by Thursday. Those who remain non-compliant can turn themselves into the W.C. “Dub” Brassell Adult Detention Center in Pine Bluff or risk being arrested.
Robinson said Operation Mother’s Day is a fulfillment of his pledge to hold deadbeat parents accountable for the financial support of their children.
“The mission of this operation is and always will be to ensure children and families receive court-ordered financial and medical support from deadbeat dads and non-custodial parents,” Robinson said. “Although complaints from single mothers regarding little to no financial support of their children from deadbeat dads has minimized since the launch of this operation, non-support from deadbeat dads continues to be a problem for some single mothers struggling to make ends meet.”