Faulty reasoning signals

• Confirmation Bias - 7.9% (43 hits)
• Anchoring Bias - 5.7% (31 hits)
• Availability Heuristic - 9.6% (52 hits)
• Representativeness Heuristic - 13.4% (73 hits)
• Hindsight Bias - 0%
• Overconfidence Bias - 0%
• Framing Effect - 12.7% (69 hits)
• Loss Aversion - 0%
• Status Quo Bias - 5.9% (32 hits)
• Sunk Cost Effect - 0%
• Optimism Bias - 7.9% (43 hits)
• Pessimism Bias - 0%

Article text

Federal officials arrest dozens of fugitives in St.

Louis region in public safety initiative

Federal law enforcement officials in Missouri and Illinois say dozens of fugitives with outstanding felony warrants were arrested in June through a public safety initiative.

U.S. marshals announced the results of what they called Operation Patriot Shield on Thursday at the Thomas F.

Eagleton U.S.

Courthouse in downtown St.

Louis.

Federal officers said 224 fugitives in Missouri and Illinois were arrested last month — six were linked to gangs in Missouri, and 16 had ties to gangs in Illinois.

The marshals said they seized drugs including fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamines and marijuana, as well as 32 firearms.

Thomas Albus, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, said the efforts were designed to address a surge in violent crimes that typically happens at the start of summer, and to make communities safer ahead of the July 4 holiday this weekend.

“We're getting ready to celebrate Independence Day.

We want everybody to go out with their friends and family and have a good time, and know that all people like these task force officers are out there working every day to ensure public safety,” Albus said.

In addition to the arrests, federal officials said they cleared a backlog of 290 outstanding felony arrest warrants.

Steven Lewis, U.S. marshal of the Eastern District of Missouri, said during the operation at least two missing children were found in Missouri.

Another missing child was found in Illinois — efforts done in collaboration with local and state police, federal officials said.

Lewis said eight sex offenders were arrested in Missouri, and two people were served with homicide arrest warrants.

“Behind every one of those numbers is a dangerous offender taken off the street, a victim one step closer to justice, and a safer community for the people we serve,” Lewis said.

Lewis said in Missouri, 21 of those warrants were served in St.

Louis County, seven were served in St.

Louis, and 22 were served in St.

Charles County.

Albus said many of the warrants were for individuals on probation and parole.

“So they've already been through the system, they've been given the opportunity to go back in the community, and there's been something brought to the attention of a court that they're not obeying the terms of their probation or parole, oftentimes they've committed new offenses,” Albus said.

Nearly a third of all arrests in Missouri and Illinois were for drug charges — 28% were weapons offenses and at least 20% of arrests were for violent crimes, including homicide.

The U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Missouri has indicted 35 people for violent crimes involving guns and drugs since June.

And the U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of Illinois has indicted 11 individuals for violent crimes, including firearms, assault, drugs and child sexual exploitation in a similar time frame.

Steve Weinhoeft, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, said Operation Patriot Shield is about more than making arrests, it is about the moral duty of reclaiming safe communities.

“Our people secured their freedom in 1776, and today we defend that freedom by keeping violent elements off our streets, so families can safely celebrate and enjoy the American way of life.”