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Article published Nov 5, 2006
Bart the bounty hunter
Former police officer happy with career change
Images of Duane Chapman's leathered face, long blond mullet and dark shades from the popular TV show "Dog the Bounty Hunter" are typically conjured up when most people think of bounty hunters.
But locally, Bart Dewald, a former South Bend Parks police officer and Lakeville deputy marshal, sheds a different light on his self-described "dangerous profession."
Dewald, an Elkhart County bounty hunter, or recovery agent, owns his own business, Dewald Bail Bonds, 101 S. Third St. in Goshen. Staff Writer Yonika Willis recently sat down with Dewald to learn more about his profession.
Why did you switch from police work to bounty hunting?
I was thinking about a career change because of politics in the police department. After seeing a bounty hunter show, I found out it was a real profession.Has your police training helped in bounty hunting?
The police academy taught discipline and to think about your actions before entering a home.
How do police officers and bail bondsmen differ?
We have powers of arrest one step further than police in regards that we do not need a warrant or search warrant to enter a room.
Are you happy with your career change?Yes, I'm happy with the switch because you own your own business. The politics of working with the police department are no longer there, however, there still are political issues and rules and guidelines you have to comply to. The money is much better than a single-family salary of a police officer.
How do bonds work?
Ten percent of a bond is set by the judicial system. Then the 10 percent gets divided between the bondsmen and surety company. That's how the insurance companies/surety make their money. The co-signer is responsible for the full amount of the bond on the person. If we do not get the bond in time, the bondsman has to produce the money. The bond that is placed at the time of release of a defendant is basically a promissory note stating that the surety will pay for that bond.
How is the bondsman informed of who to find?
The court will contact us when a person fails to appear. It's usually one to two weeks after the missed court date, so the fugitive has that much time ahead of us. In the case of someone bonding out of jail, a family member will contact us.What are some differences between "Dog the Bounty Hunter" and your job?
To simplify it, if we walk into a fugitive's home and threatened to spray them with mace, the possibility of getting shot or injured (is increased). We don't talk to defendants (after apprehension) like Dog does. Our obligation is to get them to court. It's not practical (to talk to them). It's basically a quiet trip with no questions to ask.
Describe your job.
It's like any other job. It gets repetitious. The only difference is that you're doing the same scenario, however, you don't know how or when it's going to end, and that is pretty much the thrill of the chase.
Do you stake out a residence before apprehending a fugitive?I normally go out at night and will look inside the house from outside as best we can.
What types of dangers have you been put in?
I've been in situations before where the defendant will flee and I'd have to struggle with the person. I've had family members try to take my gun from my holster. I've been threatened to be shot at. ... They try to run. A lot of them will reach for weapons such as knives, guns, anything else within reach. This job is dangerous. I guess you could say I've been lucky.
What are the range of offenses a fugitive gets picked up for?
Anything from operating while suspended, public intoxication, rape, battery, domestic battery, and leaving the scene of accidents, all the way to attempted murder. Murder has no bond.How do you think you received most of your experience?
After gaining (knowledge) from chasing Hispanic people -- the ones that can falsify their identities -- I used the same tactics (I used to locate Hispanics) to locate people who are legally registered in this country. ... I've become more successful because of that training. As of four months ago, I no longer will bond out Hispanics because of their nature of high flight risk.
Do many people lose interest in bounty hunting?
There's very little money in recovery work. Most bondsmen choose to do their own recovery work because of liabilities, and most have no prior experience in law enforcement work and military.
. But, that's just my opinion.
