JAN. 2025. Blues Vol 41 No. 1

AROUND THE

AROUND THE COUNTRYWAXAHACHIE, TX.Detention Officer Isaiah Bias died after being assaulted by an inmateat the Wayne McCollum Detention Center in Waxahachie.WAXAHACHIE, TX. - Ellis Countydetention officer Isaiah Biaswas killed after being attackedby an inmate at the detentioncenter on December 16.The 28-year-old officer waskilled while putting an inmate inhis cell Monday afternoon.“Most of the time, law enforcementofficers and detentionofficers deal with good folkshaving a bad day. Occasionally,we deal with bad folks,” he said.“I can honestly say that my staffover the last day has dealt withpure evil.”Sheriff Brad Norman called OfficerIsaiah Bias an “outstandingperson” who has been involvedwith the sheriff’s departmentsince he was 14 years old.Investigators say 45-year-oldArron Thompson was bookedinto jail last month on threecounts of assault on a publicservant and evading arrest. Hewas in solitary confinement for23 hours a day.Sheriff Norman says the incidenthappened when Bias wasputting Thompson back in hiscell.“He was physically assaulted byan inmate in a cell, holding facilitywhile the officer was doinghis job,” the sheriff said.An arrest warrant affidavit forThompson says that he punchedOfficer Bias, knocking him to theground. Thompson then allegedlybegan choking Bias and hittinghim in the head with his fist, kneeand foot.The affidavit says Thompsonthen went to a table and satdown, leaving Bias in a “largepool of blood.”Thompson is now charged withcapital murder. It’s up to the districtattorney if this will be triedas a death penalty case. He wasarraigned and issued a bond of million.“It was a heinous, horrific,purposeful murder that wasnot needed,” the sheriff said. “IfI have anything to say about it,that is exactly what will happen(death penalty case). I believethey will ask my opinion and theRanger that works this case. Thedecision is on the DA’s office.”Sheriff Norman said the jailstaff is struggling with the deathof Officer Bias. He brought incounseling services to help hisstaff cope with the loss.Sheriff Norman said he’sknown Officer Bias since he wasabout 14 years old. He met himOFFICER ISAIAH BIASwhen he was a teen in the Explorerprogram.“He wanted to be in law enforcement.He came into workfor the jail,” Norman said. “Youcan work in the jail when youare 18. You can’t be a peace officeruntil you’re 21.”Bias left the sheriff’s office in2016 to get a degree from NavarroCollege. He came back andwas promoted to corporal indetention services in 2022.As the oldest sibling in hisfamily, Bias had just become anuncle a week earlier.32 The BLUES - JANUARY ‘25

AROUND THE COUNTRYSAN DIEGO CNTY, CA.Air Interdiction Agent Jeffrey Kanas was killed when the EurocopterAS350 he was piloting crashed near Potrero in San Diego County.By Danielle SmithSAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA. – U.S.Customs and Border Protectionon Wednesday publicly identifiedthe agent who died in a helicoptercrash near Potrero earlierthis week.Air Interdiction Agent JeffreyKanas was killed when a CBP Airand Marine Operations aircraftcrashed north of state Route 94and two miles south of BarrettLake at around 10 a.m. on Monday,according to CBP. Flight-Aware’s flight tracker shows thatthe helicopter took off an hourearlier from Brown Field, about20 miles west.Kanas — who CBP says joinedthe agency in 2008 — was thepilot and sole person aboard theaircraft, CBP said.His sister, Jenn, spoke to NBC 7on Thursday and described Kanasas smart, compassionate andsomeone who loved his familyand the skies.“He loved aviation to beginwith, and he loved flying,” shesaid. “I had to actually tell myparents, which was really hard,and my dad was a pilot, too.”The National TransportationSafety Board is investigating thecause of Monday’s crash, theagency said in a post on X.AIR INTERDICTION AGENTJEFFERY KANASThe BLUES - JANUARY ‘25 33