Fugitive Safe Surrender (FSS), a groundbreaking re-entry initiative developed by the United States Marshals Service in cooperation with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and the faith based community, is coming to Detroit June 4-7.

The initiative will be hosted by Rev. Dr. Edgar Vann, senior pastor of Second Ebenezer Church, in cooperation with the United States Marshals Service, United States Attorney’s Office and the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, Michigan Department of Corrections, Michigan Prisoner Re-entry Initiative, State Defender’s Office, Michigan State Police, Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, Wayne County Clerk, Third Circuit Court, 36th District Court, Detroit Police Department, and HIDTA.

“We are encouraging all fugitives with non-violent warrants from Detroit’s 36th District Court and Wayne County’s Third Circuit Court to come forward during Fugitive Safe Surrender,” said Vann. “While we are targeting non-violent offenders, no one will be turned away, Fugitives who surrender during the program receive favorable consideration, but not amnesty.”

U.S. Marshal Robert M. Grubbs said, “Fugitive Safe Surrender is a program that changes lives and saves lives.”

According to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, there are currently 17,941 outstanding misdemeanor warrants and 29,532 felony warrants in Wayne County.

“This program is designed to reduce the risk of a physical encounter to law enforcement officers, the community and the fugitives themselves. For every fugitive that comes forward, there is one less potentially confrontational encounter with the law,” said Warren Evans, Wayne County Sheriff.

Detroit Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings said, “Safe Surrender provides benefits to the non-violent offender, law enforcement and our community as a whole. When non-violent offenders turn themselves in, it allows police to focus our resources on those individuals who have demonstrated a clear danger to our society.”

An added incentive for fugitives to come forward during the Safe Surrender program is that a fugitive sweep will take place sometime after the program ends in June 2008.

“Anything we can do to reduce violence on our streets and in our communities is worthwhile to us. The Department of Justice is playing a major leadership role in setting this program up for success in Detroit,” said Stephen J. Murphy, United States attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said, “When law enforcement comes together for a program like Fugitive Safe Surrender, we demonstrate leadership through a collaboration of resources for the betterment of our community.”

From a re-entry perspective, Tamela Aikens, the Michigan Prisoner Re-entry Initiative (MPRI) liaison for Wayne County, sees FSS as a great asset.

“Re-entry seeks to bring offenders back into the mainstream of society, with the goal of keeping them out of the criminal justice system,” she said. “MPRI and several health and human service agencies will be on-site to provide surrendering persons with resources that facilitate this process.”

“The program already has a good track record since its inception in Cleveland in 2005,” said Grubbs.

Safe Surrender was signed into law in 2006 and thousands of fugitives have since come forward in cities such as Akron, Nashville, Indianapolis, Phoenix, Rochester, N.Y. and Washington, D.C., with the largest turnout to date in Memphis in September 2007, when more than 1,500 fugitives peacefully turned themselves in to a host church.

“While Fugitive Safe Surrender is hosted in a church, an alternative site may be arranged if a fugitive so desires,” added Grubbs.

Fugitives are encouraged to attend the program, which takes place June 4-7, at Second Ebenezer Church, 14601 Dequindre Road, at the I-75 and McNichols exit. Hours of operation will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The toll-free information line to call for more information on Fugitive Safe Surrender is 1.888.FSS.SAFE (1.888.377.7233); the website is www.detroitsafesurrender.org.