[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 149 (Thursday, September 18, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8976-S8977]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             PUBLIC SAFETY

  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. President, I wish to talk about another matter 
which has to do with the public safety of our people. Public safety is 
among the highest priorities of Government. Americans should feel--and 
have a right to feel--safe in their homes, their neighborhoods, and 
their communities. Although the national violent crime rate has dropped 
substantially since 2000, we know any crime is too much crime. As 
elected officials, we ought to do what we can to prevent criminal acts.
  In recent years, my home State of Florida has, unfortunately, seen a 
rise in violent crime--a very sharp increase. If we look at the numbers 
in recent years, there is a clear trend: The murder rate in Florida 
rose more than 28 percent in 2006 and another 6.5 percent in 2007. 
Instances of armed robbery increased by 13.4 percent in 2006 and nearly 
12 percent in 2007. So while the overall crime rate rose only 1.4 
percent--and it was the first time in more than a decade--we did see a 
rise in violent crime.
  Many of the crimes committed in Florida are being committed by those 
with prior records and those who are already fugitives from justice. A 
U.S. Marshal--a good friend--told me fugitives from justice posed the 
most risk to society because they have to keep committing crimes in 
order to keep going and crime then becomes their livelihood.
  So that is why, since the creation of the U.S. Marshals Service, 
their priority has been to capture fugitives. They work closely with 
local and State law enforcement agencies, they devote the resources 
necessary to track fugitives across State lines, and they have

[[Page S8977]]

several regional task forces set up specifically to go after the worst 
of the worst criminals.
  Currently, my State of Florida falls under the purview of the 
Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force based in Atlanta, GA. Given 
Florida's size, its population, and the escalation of violent crimes, 
we need a special focus to more effectively target those responsible 
for the most serious of crimes.
  Last year, I requested the resources necessary to establish a 
regional Fugitive Task Force in Florida. We secured $2.8 million, and 
while not enough to establish a task force, it did provide the 
resources to increase the Marshals' presence in my State. Over the past 
10 weeks, the Marshals Service put those resources to work in an effort 
that they call ``Operation Orange Crush.''
  In Miami, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm 
Beach, and other places, the Marshals Service linked up with other 
State and local law enforcement agencies and targeted the worst of the 
worst fugitive criminals.
  They went after murderers, rapists, child sex offenders, and gang 
members, and they very specifically went after violent offenders. The 
results were absolutely astonishing. Nearly 2,500 fugitives were 
apprehended. More than 2,900 warrants were cleared, 113 homicide 
suspects were arrested, and 255 sex offenders were also captured. They 
also took in 76 firearms and about 100 pounds of illicit narcotics.
  Among those captured in Operation Orange Crush was fugitive David Lee 
Green, an escapee listed on the Marshals' 15 Most Wanted list, and a 
criminal who has been on the run since the year 2000, out there 
committing more and more crime. Green was found in Titusville after 
escaping from a Federal correctional institution in Elkton, OH, where 
he was serving a 235-month sentence for cocaine distribution. In 
addition, he was wanted for machinegun possession.
  Another captured fugitive, Rosalino Yanez, was arrested in Okeechobee 
County.
  Authorities in Fort Pierce wanted him for a 2003 murder, when he 
apparently used a shotgun to fire and kill two men. He is also wanted 
in Georgia for attempting to commit murder there.
  Another arrested was Nolan Woods, who was captured in Miami on a 
warrant for sexual assault of a minor. So this man was also captured 
and put behind bars.
  These are some of the more than 2,400 arrests that were made. These 
were made possible because of the additional resources this Congress 
made available to the U.S. Marshals Service.
  Given these statistics and what the Marshals Service was able to do 
in a 10-week period--in just 10 weeks in my State--demonstrates that 
there needs to be a permanent Regional Fugitive Task Force in Florida. 
Rising violent crime rates pose a serious threat to our children, our 
families, and our communities. These results demonstrate that Florida 
has a need, and the resources used will yield the desired results.
  Establishing a permanent Regional Fugitive Task Force in Florida will 
require Congress's support through the fiscal year 2009 and beyond. But 
given the results of Operation Orange Crush and the outstanding 
commitment of the U.S. Marshals Service, I am very hopeful we can take 
the results of this task force and make this be a reality in the coming 
days.
  So I am very pleased, and I wish to give a word of thanks not only to 
the Marshals Service but also to all law enforcement in the State of 
Florida who worked together cooperatively to make this terrific result 
happen.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New York is recognized.

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