Operation FALCON:
Federal and Local Cops Organized Nationally
The Operations:
Operation FALCON is a nationwide fugitive
apprehension operation coordinated by the United States Marshals
Service (USMS). The resources of federal, state, city and
county law enforcement agencies are combined to locate and
apprehend criminals wanted for crimes of violence.
Since its inception in 2005, Operation FALCON has made 91,086
arrests and cleared 117,874 warrants and is the single most
successful initiative aimed at apprehending violent fugitives in U.S.
law enforcement history.
The original
FALCON I proved the efficacy of the
cooperative law enforcement model, which seeks to multiply the
positive impact of law enforcement at all jurisdictional levels.
The emphasis centered on gang related crimes, homicides, crimes
involving use of a weapon, crimes against children and the
elderly, crimes involving sexual assaults, organized crime and
drug related fugitives, and other crimes of violence.
FALCON II reaffirmed and built upon the success of the initial
FALCON effort, achieving a comparable level of total arrests,
while covering only one-half the geographic area of the first
nationwide operation. Moreover, FALCON II focused on combating a particular
category of fugitive offender. The results of this innovation
speak for themselves, as FALCON II investigators successfully
removed more than 1,100 dangerous sex offenders from America’s
streets.
FALCON III continued to advance these important efforts, and
focused heavily on the danger posed by fugitive felons who fail
to register as sex offenders, as well as those with gang
affiliations. FALCON III covered the eastern half of the United
States, with 48 federal districts in 24 states participating.
FALCON III resulted in the apprehension of 10,733 fugitive felons, ensuring the
continuing safety of America’s communities.
FALCON 2007 continued to promote
these important efforts, but took on a more focused, long-term
approach
by targeting twenty-seven cities and regions experiencing
elevated levels of criminal activity. Working in conjunction
with the Department of Justice, the National Center for
Missing & Exploited Children, and other agencies, the
U.S. Marshals Service identified and targeted the communities
most in need of assistance. The Marshals then reached out to
their many partners in federal, state, and local law enforcement
to coordinate a sustainable push designed to safely apprehend
the maximum number of violent predators. Deputy U.S. marshals
teamed with agents, investigators, detectives, officers, and
deputies to form a powerful unit that located and arrested 6,406
fugitive felons, ensuring a greater level of safety on the
streets of America.
FALCON 2008
returned to its roots as a nationwide fugitive apprehension
initiative with a slight alteration to the original FALCON
concept. Instead of a single, intensive week of operations
across the nation, participating U.S. Marshal District Offices and Regional Task
Forces chose a week in June 2008 to coordinate the best
operational schedule, allowing optimal participation by local,
county, state and federal law enforcement partners. The U. S.
Marshals, assisted by federal, state and local law enforcement,
arrested 19,380 fugitives and cleared 25,087
warrants as part of Operation FALCON 2008.
In
FALCON 2009, as in prior operations, an emphasis was placed
on the capture of violent offenders, gang members
and sex offenders. Nationwide, the operation
arrested 433 persons wanted for murder,
900 gang members and 2,356 sex offenders.
The U.S. Marshals Service, partnering with federal,
state and local law enforcement, arrested 35,190
fugitives and cleared 47,418 warrants as part
of Operation FALCON 2009 (Federal and Local Cops
Organized Nationally). Ranging from coast to
coast, Operation FALCON 2009 brought together the
resources of 42 federal agencies, 209
state agencies and 1,973 local sheriffs’ and
police departments, to again make the program a huge
success.
Operation Statistics |
FALCON I * April 4-10, 2005 |
FALCON II April 17-13, 2006 |
FALCON III October 22-28, 2006 |
FALCON 2007 June-
September |
FALCON 2008 June |
FALCON 2009
June |
Total |
Fugitives Arrested |
10,340 |
9,03 |
10,733 |
6,406 |
19,380 |
35,190 |
91,086 |
Warrants Cleared |
13,851 |
10,419 |
13,333 |
7,766 |
25,087 |
47,418 |
117,874 |
Sex Offenders Arrested |
553 |
1,102 |
1,659 |
566 |
1,096 |
2,356 |
7,312 |
Gang Members Arrested |
154 |
163 |
364 |
300 |
388 |
900 |
2,269 |
Homicide Suspects Arrested |
144 |
73 |
107 |
73 |
161 |
433 |
991 |
FALCON Team Members (daily average) |
3,100 |
2,126 |
3,100 |
- |
- |
-- |
- |
Federal Agencies |
25 |
25 |
30 |
22 |
30 |
42 |
- |
State Agencies |
206 |
120 |
103 |
70 |
162 |
209 |
- |
Local Agencies |
366 |
312 |
482 |
242 |
1,425 |
1,973 |
- |
County Agencies |
362 |
330 |
430 |
206 |
- |
|