Fugitive Safe Surrender
In August 2005, the United States Marshals Service launched the Fugitive Safe Surrender initiative as a way to reduce the thousands of outstanding arrest warrants in jurisdictions across the country. Piloted in Cleveland, Ohio in August 2005, the program encourages individuals wanted for non-violent felony or misdemeanor crimes to surrender voluntarily to law enforcement in the safe, supportive, and dignified environment of a church. Over 800 individuals surrendered in the Cleveland effort.
On November 1-3, 2007, the District of Columbia hosted a Fugitive Safe Surrender event at the Bible Way Church. Led jointly by the CSOSA Director (as co-chair of the DC Criminal Justice Coordinating Council) and the US Marshals Service, the effort brought together all of the city's local and federal criminal justice partners including the Metropolitan Police Department, Pretrial Services Agency, US Parole Commission, DC Superior Court, United States Attorneys Office, DC Office of the Attorney General, Public Defender Service, US Attorney General, and Department of Corrections to coordinate this ambitious undertaking.
Bishop James Silver, Bible Way Pastor provided unwavering support to the coalition's efforts to establish a satellite court operation in the church and accomodate more than 200 staff and community volunteers. Over the course of three days, 530 individuals surrendered and had their cases heard, resolved or assigned new court dates. Ten violent offenders surrendered and were peacefully taken into custody.
As of June 2009, Fugitive Safe Surrender events have been held in thirteen US cities. More than 19,000 wanted men and women have taken advantage of the opportunity to come out of hiding, voluntarily surrender, and begin the process of turning their lives around.
- United States Marshals Service
- D.C. Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
- Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department
- District of Columbia Pretrial Services Agency
- United States Parole Commission
- Superior Court of the District of Columbia
- United States Attorneys Office
- District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General
- Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia
- U.S. Attorney General
- District of Columbia Department of Corrections
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As a Federal agency with a distinctly local mission, CSOSA employees perform challenging work that directly affects public safety in the District of Columbia's neighborhoods.
