Fugitive Safe Surrender
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Akron, Ohio
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Camden, New Jersey
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Cleveland, Ohio
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Columbia, South Carolina
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Detroit, Michigan
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Indianapolis, Indiana
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Memphis, Tennessee
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Nashville, Tennessee
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Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
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Phoenix,
Arizona
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Rochester, New York
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Washington D.C.
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Future Expansion
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Nashville, Tennessee:
August 01 - 04, 2007
Fugitive
Safe Surrender in the Nashville/Davidson County area took place on
August 1-4, 2007, under the leadership of Denny King, United States
Marshal for the Middle District of Tennessee. This successful operation
resulted in 561 individuals turning themselves in to law enforcement
over the four-day period. Nashville was the fifth city to host a
Fugitive Safe Surrender operation, and its success was a direct
result of tremendous cooperation between law enforcement, the local
judiciary, and the faith-based community in Davidson County.
Encouraged by the success of earlier Fugitive Safe
Surrender operations in Cleveland, Phoenix, Indianapolis, and Akron,
Marshal King was eager to host this innovative program in Nashville.
Community leaders agreed, and within a matter of weeks several key
participants had signed on. Buoyed by the enthusiasm and commitment of
Metro Nashville Police Chief Ronal Serpas, Bishop George Price, and
Pastor Michael Joyner, the program was built from the ground up in less
than eight months.
Pastor William R. Harris of the Galilee Missionary
Baptist Church agreed to serve as the faith-based leader of Fugitive
Safe Surrender in Nashville and to host the surrender days in his
church. More than 100 volunteers from diverse churches and backgrounds
were recruited to serve their community during the four-day surrender
period, and Bishop Price of the Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship
drew in broad support from pastors across Davidson County. Every church
hearing of the program committed its enthusiastic support to Tennessee’s
first Fugitive Safe Surrender.
“Nashville was the fifth city in the nation to host
Fugitive Safe Surrender and we put our program together faster than any
other city,” said Marshal King. “After four long days, I am extremely
pleased with the results. The 4,000th person from the five cities
involving this program surrendered in Nashville.”
“The logistics of turning Galilee Church into a fully
functional booking room and courthouse was a phenomenal undertaking,”
Nashville Police Chief Serpas said. “This program could not have
succeeded without the strong mutual trust and respect between law
enforcement and Nashville’s clergy.”
Key judicial participants included the Davidson County
General Sessions Court and Criminal Courts. With the crucial assistance
of informational technology personnel, the Davidson County Criminal
Court Clerk organized the monumental task of managing the flow of
thousands of court documents from the courthouse to the church. General
Sessions and Criminal Court Officers played a critical role in providing
safety and assistance for judges, court personnel, and defendants.
Law enforcement partners included the Metro Nashville Police Department,
the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the
Middle District of Tennessee, the Davidson County District Attorney’s
Office, the Davidson County Public Defender’s Office, and the Board of
Probation and Parole.
Corporate and public sector sponsors included Comcast
Spotlight, Purity, Chick-Fil-A, Wal*Mart, Sprint-Nextel, Lamar Outdoor
Advertising, the Fraternal Order of Police, Central Parking, Meharry
Medical College, the Tennessee Department of Transportation, and the
Office of Emergency Management. |