Operation Safe Surrender offers a second chance for those with bench warrants in Fayette
Alyssa Choiniere
Fayette County Sheriff James Custer, pictured in this 2021 file photo, organized Operation Safe Surrender. The program, to be held on Friday, May 6, will allow those who have a bench warrant for failing to appear for court to resolve the warrant without any further penalty.
Custer
The bench warrant list in Fayette County consists of 107 pages and nearly 800 warrants.
Most of them, said Sheriff James Custer, are for failure to appear for court.
On Friday, May 6, Custer hopes to whittle that list down during Operation Safe Surrender, a chance for those who have outstanding warrants for missing scheduled court appearances to turn themselves in without penalty.
“Most of these are non-violent offenders,” Custer said. “This is a way to help people with warrants, to give them a second chance and for them to move on with their lives.”
Custer said Operation Safe Surrender was in the works prior to COVID-19, which delayed its implementation. With case counts and infection concerns dwindling, he revisited the program, collaborating with adult probation, the district attorney’s, public defender and clerk of courts offices, Court of Common Pleas judges, treatment courts and social service organizations.
With everyone on board, they set a date for those who wish to take care of a warrant for missing a court appearance (noted as “failure to appear” on the county’s bench warrant list). Custer said those who wish to participate can come to the Fayette County Courthouse, 6 E. Main St., Uniontown between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on May 6.
A sheriff’s department staff member will be stationed at the front door to direct those who come for the program to a courtroom, where a judge will hold a proceeding to resolve the warrant. Those attending are asked to bring identification, and representatives from treatment facilities will also be on hand to provide help for anyone with a warrant related to a drug issue.
While there will be no additional penalty for the warrant, Custer said Operation Safe Surrender is not an amnesty program for the underlying criminal charges. However, he is hopeful that the judge presiding over the criminal case will take a defendant’s good faith in surrendering on the warrant into consideration.
A link to the warrant list is available on fayettecountypa.org/542/sheriff. The list link is on the left side of the page.
Anyone who sees their name on the warrant list can contact the sheriff’s office at 724-430-1295 to verify the warrant or ask any additional questions.
Custer said other counties, including Allegheny and York, hold similar programs. If Operation Safe Surrender is successful in Fayette County, he may schedule additional dates in the future.
“We want to clear the backlog of criminal cases,” Custer said.