CHIEF JUDGE SATTERFIELD, US ATTORNEY PHILLIPS and PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICE DIRECTOR BUCHANAN ANNOUNCE DC SAFE SURRENDER 2016
WASHINGTON, DC -- Superior Court Chief Judge Lee Satterfield, US Attorney Channing Phillips, DC Public Defender Service Director Avis Buchanan, US Marshal Michael Hughes, MPD Assistant Chief Kimberly Missouri, Pretrial Services Agency Director Cliff Keenan, Court Services & Offender Supervision Agency Director Nancy Ware, Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, Deputy DC Attorney General Tamar Meekins and 2007 Safe Surrender participant Willie Jones spoke at the Safe Surrender press conference in front of the Moultrie Courthouse.
The DC Safe Surrender program is an opportunity for persons who have outstanding parole, pre-trial release or probation bench warrants for non-violent felonies or misdemeanors in DC to surrender voluntarily at the Moultrie Courthouse. DC Safe Surrender recognizes that many persons have bench warrants because they failed to appear for a court hearing or violated conditions of probation or parole, and they now want to resolve the matter and move forward with their lives. The program’s goal is to reduce the number of outstanding bench and parole warrants. The program provides persons with a way to turn themselves in, without the risk of being arrested at home, in front of their family and children, or during a routine traffic stop. An attorney will be appointed to represent each participant when he or she appears before a judge. Over 1,000 people turned themselves in during similar programs in 2007 and 2011, with 98% going home that same day.
“DC Safe Surrender is an initiative focused on increasing public safety, and we hope to build on the success of the 2007 and 2011 programs,” Chief Judge Satterfield said. “By taking responsibility for their actions, participants of Safe Surrender will demonstrate they are taking the appropriate steps towards becoming responsible members of the community. They will end the risk of being arrested at a traffic stop or on the job or in front of colleagues or family members. I encourage everyone with an outstanding bench warrant for parole, supervised release or probation to turn themselves in; Safe Surrender is an excellent opportunity.”
“Defense attorneys will be available on site to advise people about their rights and options. Safe Surrender provides people the opportunity to turn themselves in on their outstanding warrants and receive special consideration in getting their cases resolved, explained Avis Buchanan, Director of the DC Public Defender Service.
“The Safe Surrender program provides great benefit to the community, law enforcement, and the criminal justice system – but especially to the participants themselves,” said US Attorney Channing D. Phillips. “The program gives people wanted for non-violent felonies and misdemeanors a safe and efficient opportunity to come forward, address their outstanding legal issues, and clean the slate so that they can move forward with their lives.”
The DC Safe Surrender program will take place at the Moultrie Courthouse (500 Indiana Avenue, NW) on three consecutive Saturdays, September 10, 17 and 24, from 9am-4pm. For more information, including a list of those with bench warrants eligible for the program, go to www.dccourts.gov/safesurrender or the Safe Surrender facebook page.
Safe Surrender is a partnership between: the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA), Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, DC Public Defender Service, DC Superior Court, Deputy Mayor’s Office for Public Safety and Justice, Metropolitan Police Department, Office of Attorney General, Pretrial Services Agency, US Attorney’s Office, US Parole Commission, US Marshals Service and US Parole Commission.