MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – In nine days, fugitives in Shelby County will have a brief, one-time opportunity to take their first step toward a second chance. Fugitive Safe Surrender, a new program led by the U.S. Marshals Service will allow people on the run from the law to come to a safe haven - New Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn., to surrender to authorities, consult with an attorney and meet with a judge... all inside the church.

Most importantly, if they have no history of violence and are willing to accept   responsibility for their actions, they will receive favorable consideration for their surrender from law enforcement and prosecutors. The result: many fugitives’ cases will be adjudicated on site, some will receive a follow-up court date in the near future and nearly all will go home straight from the church.

The four days of Fugitive Safe Surrender in Memphis, Tenn., are from Wednesday, September 19, through Saturday, September 22, at New Salem Missionary Baptist Church. Fugitives who do not wish to surrender at the church may surrender and receive equal consideration from authorities at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Fugitive Division in the annex of the Criminal Justice Center at 201 Poplar. When the surrender period ends, intensive fugitive sweeps will begin… with no favorable consideration from authorities for those who are captured by law enforcement.

Fugitive Safe Surrender Background:

Fugitive Safe Surrender is the idea of Peter J. Elliott, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio, whose motivation for creating the program stemmed from the murder of Cleveland police officer Wayne Leon by a fugitive in Cleveland in 2000. Marshal Elliott knew that many fugitives desired a second chance at life, but were fearful of turning themselves in at a law enforcement office, so he reasoned that the safety associated with a church might alleviate this fear, and lead to a safer community. Fugitive Safe Surrender was launched a year later and involved a partnership between local criminal justice authorities, Dr. C. Jay Matthews of Cleveland’s Mount Sinai Baptist Church, and U.S. Marshals. Over a four day period in August 2005, 850 fugitives surrendered at Mount Sinai.

Encouraged by the results in Cleveland, the U.S. Marshals Service expanded the program nationwide in fall 2005. Since then, Fugitive Safe Surrender implementations have occurred in four other cities – Phoenix, AZ, Indianapolis, IN Akron, OH and Nashville, TN – with significant success. Approximately 4,300 people have surrendered at the first five pilot sites. Under the leadership of David Jolley, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Tennessee, Memphis, TN will be the nation’s sixth site.

“The first five pilot sites have been highly successful and produced some incredible numbers,” said Marshal Jolley. “All of the project’s partners here in Shelby County, especially the local government authorities and the faith-based community, have been working hard over the past year to see if we can approach those numbers again.”

Fugitive Safe Surrender has no religious requirement, and it does not grant amnesty.

“We encourage fugitives on the run to take this one-time opportunity.  Those who chose to accept responsibility for their actions and surrender voluntarily during these four days will be given favorable consideration for doing the right thing,” said District Attorney Bill Gibbons.

“Our Fugitive Deputies work 24 hours a day throughout Shelby County looking for the 37,000 people wanted on charges.  Most of those involve traffic citations and other misdemeanor offenses. The Fugitive Safe Surrender initiative will allow us to clear many cases without risking the safety of our officers.  There is always the chance of a violent confrontation when a Deputy attempts to arrest a fugitive.” Sheriff Mark Luttrell.

Conference Photos:

Contact Deputy U.S. Marshal/PIO
Stephanie Creasy
(901) 544-0906 or (901) 544-3304