The U.S. Marshal Service, along with Jefferson County law enforcement agencies, arrested nearly 30 people avoiding violent arrest warrants in the area.

District of Colorado U.S. Marshal Kirk Taylor announced Tuesday that the Colorado Violent Offender Task Force’s two-week “Operation Gateway Sweep” led to the arrest of 24 fugitives in 10 days.

“We work for the victims,” Taylor said during a news conference. “The victims have a right to have their case adjudicated. What this does is activates their case again.”

The operation started with the task force reaching out to the Arvada, Lakewood, Wheat Ridge and Golden police departments to put together a list of the 30 most-wanted suspects in the area.

From April 6-17, the task force worked to arrest 24 of those fugitives, with three found to already be in custody elsewhere and one arrested indirectly by the Arvada Police Department, according to Taylor.

The taskforce ended with 39 felony warrants and 15 misdemeanor warrants being cleared, including negligent homicide, first-degree assault, robbery and sexual assault.

Ultimately, the U.S. Marshal Service provided extra bodies and technology to help the local police departments find and arrest suspects who had been running from arrest for “some time” and living in the community for “many years,” Taylor said, adding that departments are usually understaffed with investigators who can look into outstanding warrants.

One fugitive, for example, had been wanted on sexual assault charges since 2021.

“These partnerships are necessary,” Lakewood Police Department Chief Philip Smith said. “We need all of the sets of eyes. Crimes are all of our problems. Going out and getting these guys sets a standard.”

The majority of the people arrested will be held at the Jefferson County jail, something Taylor said was unusual.

Normally, local sheriff’s offices do not have the room or want to board suspects that may only have warrants in other jurisdictions. But Taylor said the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office was on board with the operation.

When asked why wanted fugitives were still on the streets, Taylor said, “They don’t give any of us with a badge a black robe. Everyone in the state of Colorado is entitled to bail by statute. We’re not judges, we’re law enforcement.”