Five men arrested by new DCSO community team

Five men were arrested on various charges last Friday in the first patrol by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office’s new Community Action Target Team, or CATT, deputies said Thursday.

The sheriff’s office created the team “as a proactive approach to focusing on quality-of-life issues in Deschutes County,” Sgt. William Bailey said in a news release.

Bailey said the team will focus on areas needing added enforcement on crimes such as distracted driving, drug possession and sales, theft, trespass and criminal mischief.

The CATT team will use marked and unmarked patrol cars, as well as foot and bike patrols, with deputies in uniform or plainclothes.

During last Friday’s initial patrol, the eight-member team, made up of five patrol deputies and three Street Crimes Unit detectives, used two marked cars and four unmarked vehicles, focusing on drug possession and sales.

James Walter Bruce, 34, of La Pine, and Richard Thomas Brummel, 34, of Bend, were arrested in the area of Burgess Road and Ponderosa Way in La Pine, Bailey said. Based on evidence and interviews, the two men were conducting a drug deal at the time. A third, unidentified man at the scene was not arrested, but information was being forward to his probation officer for review.

Bruce and Brummel remained held without bail Thursday at the county jail. Bruce was held on a probation violation, while Brummel was charged with methamphetamine possession, a probation violation, possession of prescription drugs and DUII.

Darren Irwin, 34, and Steven Mullen, 50, both of Bend, and Jake Taylor Daniel, 25, of Redmond, were arrested after leaving a home on Manzanita Lane in Deschutes River Woods, Burleigh said.

Irwin and Mullen were arrested by citation on heroin possession charges and released.

Daniel’s arrest came after a pursuit began in the area of Knott and Scale House roads south of Bend, ending when one of his car’s front tire came off. Burleigh said Daniel resisted arrest and deputies had to break windows out of the car to take hi into custody.

Daniel was charged with felony attempt to elude police, reckless driving, resisting arrest and a parole violation warrant. He remained held without bail Thursday.

Bailey said the sheriff’s office “is committed to community safety and addressing quality of life issues for the citizens and visors of Deschutes County.”