Fugitive Safe Surrender, a program that affords the opportunity for persons wanted on outstanding warrants to surrender themselves and receive favorable consideration from prosecutors and the courts, is coming to Nashville August 1-4.
Galilee Baptist Church, 2021 Herman Street, will be transformed into a make-shift courthouse from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. during those days, complete with judges, prosecutors, and assistant public defenders. Non-violent offenders (U.S. citizens) wanted in Davidson County who surrender at the church and accept responsibility for their actions stand a good chance of clearing up their warrant(s) on the spot without going to jail. No gimmicks, no tricks.
“Persons on the run because of a criminal warrant in Nashville have put themselves and their loved ones in danger,” Chief Ronal Serpas said. “This program affords offenders an excellent opportunity in a neutral setting to take care of business and get back on the right path.”
There are about 40,000 outstanding arrest warrants in Nashville dealing with a variety of crimes.
“My office will closely examine the case of each individual who surrenders and look at favorable consideration,” District Attorney General Torry Johnson said.
Nashville is the fifth city in the United States to participate in Fugitive Safe Surrender, a program founded and sponsored by the United States Marshals Service. Peter Elliott, United States Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio, developed the idea and implemented it in Cleveland, Ohio, in August of 2005. Other successful surrender initiatives have since been held at church sites in Phoenix, Arizona, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Akron, Ohio.
“After hearing of the success of Fugitive Safe Surrender from Marshal Elliott, I knew of no reason that it couldn’t work here,” said Denny King, United States Marshal for the Middle District of Tennessee. “I brought the concept to Chief Serpas and District Attorney Johnson, who both quickly endorsed it. Nashville has put its program together quicker than any other city thus far.”
Galilee Baptist Church, pastured by Reverend William Harris, was chosen as the site of Nashville’s Fugitive Safe Surrender in consultation with the Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship, which is strongly supporting the program here. Volunteers from a number of churches will help staff the church during the four days.
Television, radio, and billboard advertising announcing the program will begin this week. Sponsors of the advertising effort include Comcast, Joslin & Son Sign Company, and Lamar Outdoor Advertising.
Funding to support Fugitive Safe Surrender is made available by the United States Department of Justice through the U.S. Marshals Service.
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