New Norfolk Web site lists people with arrest warrants

 NORFOLK

The wanted poster is going digital, and growing much longer than in Marshall Dillon’s day.

Norfolk Police, its Crime Line staff and city computer experts unveiled Friday a Web site containing about 6,000 arrest warrants – every open one, felony and misdemeanor, on people wanted by city authorities.

The lists, broken down by alphabet, include descriptions, case information and in many cases photos, but purposely no addresses. “We didn’t want to have that bounty-hunter mentality,” said Officer Chris Amos, police spokesman. “These are going to be people you know.”

Police will update the list nightly, adding new warrants and removing those arrested, Amos said.

The wanted lists are on the city’s Web site, www.norfolk.gov. Click on “Residents,” then “Public Safety,” “Police” and, under “Investigative Services,” “Query Wanted Persons.”

Scrolling through the list of names beginning with “B” showed a mix that included suspects in robberies and assaults, past-due child support and even annoying phone calls. Many are wanted for “failure to appear” – skipping their court dates. The oldest : a probation violation from 1997.

People who find someone on the list whose whereabouts they know are asked to call Crime Line, 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (562-5887).