A week after three inmates escaped from the Dallas County Jail, all three have been apprehended by law enforcement and are back behind bars.

Michael Christian, Derrick Washington and Jeremy Swann all escaped together on Sept. 9 by throwing a liquid mixture into a guard’s face. Any time an inmate escapes, it’s unfortunate, and in this case three potentially dangerous men were on the loose.

Thankfully, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, Autauga County Sheriff’s Department, the state K9 unit and others were able to recapture all three within seven days.

This case shows the importance of collaboration between law enforcement offices and how helpful information from the community can be. Throughout the search for the inmates, investigators with the sheriff’s department talked about how important community involvement would be in apprehending the escapees.

Eyewitness reports helped the department track down both Christian and Swann and contributed to the arrest of Washington.

Nobody likes it when an inmate escapes, but our law enforcement officers hate it more than anybody. We appreciate their hard work in getting Christian, Washington and Swann back behind bars.