Police and court officials, interviewed earlier this year for an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette special report on the meth problem in Northwest Arkansas, said most of the crimes in the area are committed for money or goods to buy the drug or by someone under the influence of the drug. Jail statistics for methamphetamine use showed that inmates at the Washington County jail had a far higher drug use rate than inmates at two other county jails sampled in Arkansas, including at Pulaski County. The rate was comparable to that of the county jail in Las Vegas. State police acknowledged that Tuesday's shooting prompted Operation Checkmate. It was the catalyst for making a decision.
Violence repeatedly goes hand in hand with methamphetamine.
It's a trademark of the drug. State police director Col. Madison County Sheriff Phillip Morgan said Mars called him Thursday to offer help in fighting methamphetamine. A few hours later, Mars called back and proposed Operation Checkmate. And in less than 24 hours, the crackdown began.