Youngstown Division named Task Force of the Year

By Katie Seminara | March 7, 2009 at 12:06a.m.

U.S. Marshal Award

The award goes to the top task force, said the Northern Ohio District U.S. Marshal.

YOUNGSTOWN — Since forming in 2003, the Youngstown Division of the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force made 6,400 arrests.

That accomplishment, among others, was noted by Peter J. Elliott, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio, when the Youngstown Division was given the 2008 Susan Graves Task Force Division of the Year Award at the Thomas D. Lambros Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse downtown on Friday.

“This is a special award,” Elliott said. “It goes to the top task force division.”

Elliott’s division of the task force includes 40 counties in the state and each year one division in the 40 counties receives the award.

The Youngstown Division includes a number of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

“It’s an exemplary award, especially because it was based on a woman like Susan,” said Dean Michael, task force coordinator for the Northern District of Ohio.

Susan Graves was a task force officer and a member of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force Akron Division. The award was created by the U.S. Marshals Service in her memory.

“[Susan] was a good officer, and when she joined the task force she became even better,” said James Peach, police chief for Kent Police Department.

“She lived it, she ate it, and she slept it,” he said of her dedication to the force.

Graves battled breast cancer, but continued to work without telling anyone about her condition, said Peach, who worked closely with Graves, who died in December 2007.

“She never wanted to quit,” he said. “I’ve never known someone to have the perseverance and courage as her.”

Not quitting and overcoming struggles on the job earned the award for the Youngstown Division, Elliott said.

“You guys came together and faced obstacles like Susan had to, and that’s why you’re getting this award,” Elliott said to the members of the force.

The Youngstown Division arrested 1,150 fugitives in 2008, including 14 homicide arrests. The division also seized 51 firearms, more than 400 rounds of ammunition, more than $12,000 and about one kilogram of various illegal narcotics, Elliot said.

“We do turn out some numbers down here,” Michael said.

In a period of about six years, the Youngstown Division of the task force made 6,400 arrests. During those arrests, no officers were injured and no suspects were seriously injured, he said.

“That’s very significant,” Michael added.

“The people who lose are those on the run. You guys deserve this, so be proud,” Elliott said to Youngstown Division members.

kseminara@vindy.com