Scores Arrested in Camden As Part of Nationwide Sweep of Fugitives
By Mike Dougherty
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) -- Officials in Camden, NJ today were celebrating their role in a nationwide sweep of more than 7,000 fugitives across the country, arrested as part of a six-week violence reduction operation.
Federal marshals called those arrested the "worst of the worst."
US marshals reached out to local police departments around the country to compile a list of the most wanted. Now, after six weeks, more than 500 murder suspects and 1,000 robbery suspects are under arrest.
Stacia Hylton, director of the US Marshals Service, in Camden this morning to announce the results of the sweep, says hundreds of those apprehended were from the Delaware Valley: 84 in Camden and another 84 in eastern Pennsylvania.
"Many of these fugitives are repeat offenders, averaging almost eight prior arrests and three prior convictions for violent crimes," she noted.
Camden County police chief Scott Thomson (at lectern in photo) says these initiatives have a tremendous impact.
"We do know that by removing that very, very small percentage of people that are committing the majority of the violent crime, you can start to change the dynamics of neighborhoods," he said, adding that it empowers members of the community to reclaim the streets from criminals.