Probation searches recover cache of illegal weapons, drugs.

During the month of February, D.I.S.A.R.M officers confiscated 64 weapons — including 22 handguns and 12 rifles/shotguns, seized over $28,000 in illegal drugs, and arrested 125 probationers during 1,200 unannounced searches of residences, persons, vehicles, and businesses, announced Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich . 

The searches were conducted through the Probation Department’s D.I.S.A.R.M. (Developing Increased Safety through Arms Reduction Management) program, initiated by Supervisor Antonovich following the tragic August 1999 shootings at the North Valley Jewish Community Center and the murder of a postal worker by Buford Furrow, an armed felon on probation from Washington State .

The D.I.S.A.R.M program entails pairing Deputy Probation Officers with local law enforcement personnel to perform unannounced searches of probationers and their homes, as a condition of probation, and targets the confiscation of guns, drugs, and other contraband.

Since its implementation in February of 2000, the D.I.S.A.R.M. program has seized 3,873 weapons and more than 289 million dollars in illegal drugs and drug money, and resulted in 9,003 arrests.  20% of probationers in this program have been out of compliance with their terms of probation.