U.S. Marshal Awards Youngstown Division as Task Force Division of the Year

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For Immediate Release	Contact:
March 05, 2009	United States Marshal Peter J. Elliott(216) 522-4482

U.S. Marshal Awards Youngstown Division as Task Force Division of the Year

Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force

Youngstown, Ohio – U.S. Marshal Peter J. Elliott announces the recipient of the 2008 Susan Graves Task Force Division of the Year Award for the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force. This year’s award will be presented to the Youngstown Division of the Task Force. During 2008, the Youngstown Division of the Task Force arrested 1150 fugitives, including 14 arrests for homicide. The unit also seized 51 firearms, 425 rounds of ammunition, over $12,000 currency and approximately 1 kilogram of various illegal narcotics. The success of the Youngstown Division over the last year has been a true example of the results accomplished when our law enforcement partners work together to take violent fugitives off the streets.

The award was created by the U.S. Marshals Service in the memory of Kent Police Officer Susan Graves. Officer Graves was a Task Force Officer and member of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force Akron Division. Officer Graves lost a long hard fought battle with breast cancer in December of 2007. The memory of her death served as the inspiration and the driving force behind the creation of this award. The award is presented annually to a Task Force Division who meets and exceeds the challenges and expectations that are established within the Marshal Service’s mission of fugitive apprehension. The award will be presented by United States Marshal Peter J. Elliott tomorrow, March 6th, at 2:00 p.m. at the U.S. Federal Courthouse located at 125 Market Street, Youngstown, Ohio.

Youngstown Police Chief Jimmy Hughes states, “This task force is a key component to the reduction of crime and the removal of these violent fugitives in the City of Youngstown. This partnership with the Marshals Service has been beneficial to the Youngstown Police Department and the citizens of the City of Youngstown.”

Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams states, “The entire community owes a debt of gratitude to the members of the task force. I couldn’t be more proud to work with them to help keep our community safe.”
U.S. Marshal Peter Elliott states, “The persistence of the men and women of the Youngstown Division mirrors that of Officer Susan Graves. It is an honor to her memory that we continue to bring dangerous fugitives to justice and make our communities a safer place to live for everyone.”

The U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force Youngstown Division is comprised of the following federal, state and local law enforcement agencies: Boardman Township Police Department, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Coitsville Township Police Department, Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office, Craig Beach Village Police Department, Dalton Village Police Department, Girard Police Department, Goshen Township Police Department, Howland Township Police Department, Hubbard Township Police Department, Liberty Township Police Department, Lordstown Village Police Department, McDonald Village Police Department, Niles Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification & Investigation, Trumbull County Adult Probation, Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshals Service, Warren Police Department, Washingtonville Village Police Department, Weathersfield Township Police Department and Youngstown Police Department.