Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – September 17-20, 2008

The development of Fugitive Safe Surrender-Philadelphia was launched under the leadership of Gary Shovlin, United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. In coordination with local officials, Marshal Shovlin and Deputy U.S. Marshals on his staff have worked with government, corporate, non-profit, and faith-based sector partners to lay the groundwork for a successful Fugitive Safe Surrender operation in the City of Philadelphia. That four-day surrender period has now been set for Wednesday, September 17, to Saturday, September 20, 2008. The doors will be open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm each day.

The Reverend Ernest McNear of True Gospel Tabernacle Family Church (COGIC) has agreed to serve as the faith-based leader of Fugitive Safe Surrender-Philadelphia, and will host the surrender days in his church, which is located at 1606 Mifflin Street in Philadelphia. This is the 11th location nationwide to host Fugitive Safe Surrender, and the first one in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Both Marshals Service and City officials are hopeful that this initiative, like the many that have preceded it around the country, will have a positive impact on the community.

Target individuals for this initiative include those with outstanding non-violent warrants from the City and County of Philadelphia. In most cases, participants will be able to see a judge and have their cases adjudicated on-site at True Gospel Tabernacle. However, an individual with a warrant for a serious or violent offense, may also surrender in the safe confines of the church.

Individuals with warrants from surrounding counties within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania cannot be accommodated during this operation. Individuals with warrants from Camden, New Jersey, will be able to participate in an upcoming Fugitive Safe Surrender in that location.

In addition to the U.S. Marshals Service, key participants in Fugitive Safe Surrender – Philadelphia include the Office of the Mayor of Philadelphia, and the Office of United States Senator Arlen Specter.

Legal team partners include the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, the Defender Association of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, the Clerk of Quarter Sessions, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, and the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Front-line law enforcement partners include the Philadelphia Police Department, the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Secret Service. Other important participants include Philadelphia Adult Probation and Parole and the Philadelphia Managing Director’s Office.

In addition to the True Gospel Tabernacle Family Church (COGIC), community and faith-based participants include the Kingdom Care Reentry Network, the Public Health Management Corporation, and the Town Watch Integrated Services.

Commercial partners include Staples and Ricoh. Media partners include FOX-29, Clear Channel Communications, NBC-10, ABC-6 and CBS-3.  Watch FOX-29 Video

Fugitives with warrants from the City and County of Philadelphia who wish to surrender, and their loved ones who wish to assist in this process, are encouraged to call the FSS-Philadelphia hotline at (215) 686-SAFE.

PARKING IS EXTREMELY LIMITED AT THE CHURCH. INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO SURRENDER CAN BE DROPPED OFF BY FRIENDS OR FAMILY ON 16th STREET.

By subway (SEPTA): Take Broad Street Line to Snyder, and walk one block north to Mifflin, then west towards 16th Street.

By Bus: SEPTA #2 runs Northbound on 16th Street, and Southbound on 17th

For more information on public transportation, go to www.septa.org.