(CANTON, Ohio) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine would like to remind Stark County residents about the upcoming Fugitive Safe Surrender event that will begin in Canton one week from today.
The Ohio Attorney General's Fugitive Safe Surrender Program will take place from Wednesday, September 30, 2015, to Saturday, October 3, 2015, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day at the following location:
Trinity Gospel Temple
1612 Tuscarawas Street West
Canton, Ohio
There are approximately 700 felony warrants issued out of the Stark County Court of Common Pleas and 24,600 misdemeanor warrants issued out of Canton, Alliance, and Massillon municipal courts.
"Although this is not an amnesty program, it is a chance for those with outstanding non-violent felony or misdemeanor warrants in Stark County to voluntarily turn themselves in and possibly have their cases resolved during the same day," said Attorney General DeWine. "I urge those who are ready to take responsibility for their actions and move on with their lives to take advantage of this opportunity."
The goal of the Ohio Attorney General's Fugitive Safe Surrender Program, which has no religious requirement, is to make the community safer for law enforcement and its citizens by allowing those with outstanding, non-violent warrants to resolve them in a neutral environment.
In addition to law enforcement and judges, public defenders are in attendance to provide legal advice to those who surrender. Other social service providers and community organizations are also on hand to provide guidance, assistance, and day care services, and representatives from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles are present to reinstate the licenses of those who qualify.
Judges will give favorable consideration to those who voluntarily turn themselves in during the event, and the majority of those who surrender are released on the same day after having their cases heard and adjudicated.
Those with questions on the program can call the Ohio Attorney General's Fugitive Safe Surrender Hotline at 877-647-8773.
Local authorities will conduct a warrant sweep after the program concludes in an effort to arrest those whose warrants are still active, therefore, those with outstanding, non-violent warrants are strongly encouraged to participate in this Fugitive Safe Surrender event.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has conducted the Ohio Fugitive Safe Surrender Program, which was initially started by the U.S. Marshals Service, since 2011. The Stark County event will be the Ohio Attorney General's sixth Fugitive Safe Surrender event. More than 2,000 people have surrendered during previous events in Richland, Columbiana, Trumbull, Mahoning, and Summit counties, resulting in 4,219 warrants being cleared.
Fugitive Safe Surrender FAQs can be found on the Ohio Attorney General's website.
In addition to the Ohio Attorney General's Office, the following partners are also involved in the Stark County event: Alliance Clerk of Courts Office, Alliance Law Director's Office, Alliance Mayor's Office, Alliance Municipal Court, Canton City Prosecutor's Office, Canton City School District, Canton Clerk of Court’s Office, Canton Municipal Court, Canton Police Department, Case Western Reserve University BEGUN Center for Violence Prevention Research, Chick-fil-A, City of Canton, Clear Channel Outdoor, Fresh Mark, Inc., Frito-Lay North America, Inc., iHeartMedia, Jimmy John's, Malone University, Massillon Clerk of Court’s Office, Massillon Law Director's Office, Massillon Mayor's Office, Massillon Municipal Court, Men’s Challenge, Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Stark County, Nickles Bakery, Inc., Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Quest Recovery Services, Inc., Radio-One, SARTA, Stark County Bar Association, Stark County Clerk of Courts, Stark County Court of Common Pleas, Stark County Court of Common Pleas Domestic Relations Division, Stark County Court of Common Pleas General Division, Stark County Jobs & Family Services, Stark County Metropolitan Housing Authority, Stark County NAACP, Stark County Prosecutor’s Office, Stark County Public Defender's Office, Stark County Sheriff’s Office, Stark County Urban League, Stark Social Workers Network, Stark State College, Trinity Gospel Temple, Verizon, Walsh University, WHBC Radio.
Media Contacts:
Dan Tierney: 614-466-3840
Jill Del Greco: 614-466-3840