Richard Duke contributed to this report from the Benton Courier:
Arkansas State Police have served two search warrants and seized computers and other items from the home and office of a local bail bondsman, apparently in relation to its investigation of the alleged misuse of police passwords to illegally obtain private information on local residents.
State police special agents were seen searching the home and office of Kathy Chism of Alexander, owner of Kathy’s Bail Bonds in Benton, throughout Monday morning. At least four state police cars were seen at each location by neighbors and acquaintances, and agents were seen carrying out boxes and computers from both buildings, several witnesses told the Courier this week.
Authorities are investigating how two local police passwords to the Arkansas Crime Information Center database were compromised and allegedly misused more than 1,200 times since last fall to access criminal, family and even financial background on unknowing people.
One of the passwords that was compromised was registered to the Bauxite Police Department, and the other was to the Alexander Police Department, according to a source close the investigation who did not want to be named. It is not known who, if anyone, in those departments is under investigation for possibly compromising their passwords.
Read more in the Benton Courier.