Gadsden police continue operation jackpot to crack down on illegal gambling

GADSDEN, Ala. (WBRC) – The Gadsden Police Department continued Operation Jackpot over the weekend. Their Street Crimes Unit collected fifteen illegal gambling machines, $10,000 in cash recovered a vehicle at different gas stations around town.

Sgt. Dusty Ford with the Gadsden Police Department says they hear the complaints from the community, but the thank you’s are the ones that count.

”There’s also a large outcry from the public that they don’t believe gambling should be illegal but unfortunately until that law is changed, gambling is illegal in Alabama and we’re here to clean it up,” said Sgt. Ford.

Sgt. Dusty Ford of the Gadsden Police Department responded to neighbors criticizing the department for Operation Jackpot.

Sgt. Ford says when it comes to community safety, there’s no negotiating.

”Another thing we would like to clear up when it comes to Operation Jackpot. It was actually kicked off from complaints from the community. There was a shooting outside one of the establishments that we hit earlier in the week that resulted in a person being injured by the gunfire and that prompted the emergency response to try to get this ball rolling,” said Sgt. Ford.

This past weekend, the Street Crimes Unit resumed Operation Jackpot by seizing illegal gambling machines from gas stations across the city.

”This is a small concerted effort towards one operation alone. The members of the street crimes unit have actually made multiple drug arrests in the mean time, from the kickoff of this even all the way through, this isn’t the only thing they’re doing or dedicated too,” said Sgt. Ford.

Sgt. Ford says small operations like illegal gambling tend to lead to major operations down the road.

”All that ties together and runs together and works. Our job is to investigate those things and try to stop them. If we can stamp it out on a smaller level it prevents from having to deal with things on a bigger level like the shootings and murder and stuff of that nature,” said Sgt. Ford.

Sgt. Ford says so far 103 machines have been recovered, $32,000 in cash and one Ford Transit van, and they’re just getting started.

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