Bainbridge Public Safety’s VIPER community policing team arrested several persons on drug-related charges this week in three separate incidents, BPS Chief Investigator Frank Green said.

On Wednesday afternoon, BPS VIPER officers arrested Derrick Dashawn Hutchins, 27, of 800 S. Washington St., Bainbridge, after a foot chase on South West Street. According to Green, BPS officers had been looking for Hutchins and/or his car after receiving a tip from Capt. Chip Nix of the Sheriff’s Office.

When Officer Demetric Stubbs spotted Hutchins outside an apartment complex on the 300 block of South West Street, he approached Hutchins, who fled. When officers nabbed him on McNair Street, they found about 15 baggies of marijuana on his person, Green said. Hutchins was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, obstruction of an officer (misdemeanor) and possession of a drug-related object.

On Thursday night, the VIPER team worked with State Trooper 1st Class Walt Landrum and Sgt. Michael Logue of the Sheriff’s Office, following up on citizen complaints turned in to the Georgia State Patrol, Green said. Officers arrested Jessie Barthel, 22, of 2206 Fowlstown Road, Lot 47, outside a convenience store on MLK Jr. Drive. They found two baggies of marijuana, as well as several more empty baggies, on Barthel’s person, Green said. He was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana and violating Bainbridge’s baggy pants ordinance.

Also on Thursday, VIPER officers arrested two men on the 1200 block of Water Street after BPS received citizen complaints about illegal drug activity, Green said. The two men, whose identity could not be verified at press time, were charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana.