Prichard police tried an unusual warrant operation in late October 2009: letters sent to people with outstanding warrants offered what appeared to be help paying utility bills.
The unsigned notices told recipients that grant funds could help with a bill if they came to City Hall with identification and a copy of the bill. Police planned to arrest recipients who appeared and had outstanding warrants.
Only two people arrived
City spokesperson Latoya Veal said authorities were looking for a creative way to bring suspects in. The operation targeted 71 people, but only two arrived, according to the report.
The effort came days after Prichard filed for bankruptcy, a circumstance the report noted could have made the promise of available city funds less believable.
Historic police tactic
The account documents a localized 2009 law-enforcement tactic and does not identify the individuals targeted or describe the underlying allegations. It also does not report the dispositions of the warrants.