Community Relations Service

     WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service (CRS) today announced the appointment of Thomas Battles as the new Regional Director for the Southeast Regional Office in Atlanta, Georgia. The Southeast Regional Office serves the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

    "Thomas Battles knows the Southeast Region very well. Through his many years of service in Miami, he is already known and highly respected by community leaders and officials throughout the region. Still it is a tall order for Mr. Battles to fill the vacancy created by the recent retirement of Ozell Sutton who held this position for more than 38 years," said CRS director Sharee M. Freeman.

     Prior to his appointment as Regional Director, Mr. Battles served as a Senior Conciliation Specialist in CRS' Miami Field Office for more than 25 years. He has assisted cities in addressing racial issues stemming from immigration resettlements, police shootings, and community disturbances and riots.

         Mr. Battles received a Bachelor of Science in Sociology & Corrections in 1976 and a Masters Degree in Applied Social Science from Florida A & M University in 1979. He is a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), NAACP, Urban League of Greater Miami, Mentor-5000 Role Models of Excellence, President-Miami Federal Credit Union, Past Chairman & Member of the Metro Dade Cultural Affairs Council and serves as Minister of Stewardship at his home church, Bethel Apostolic Temple, Inc.

    In July 2000, Mr. Battles received the U.S. Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service and was also recognized as Florida's Mediation & Conciliation Leader by the St. Petersburg Times (Florida) newspaper. The Miami City Commission passed a resolution declaring December 12, 2002, as "Thomas Battles Day" in recognition of his years of service in improving relations between diverse racial and ethnic groups in Miami and South Florida. Also on December 12, 2002, the Dade County Community Relations Board honored Mr. Battles with a community service leadership award for working to address racial, ethnic, and police-community conflict in Dade County, Florida.

The U.S. Department of Justice, Community Relations Service offers conflict resolution and mediation services to communities affected by issues of race, ethnicity and national origin. For more information about the U.S. Department of Justice, Community Relations Service please visit the CRS website at www.usdoj.gov/crs, or contact its Headquarters office in Washington, D.C. at 202/305-2935.

  

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