The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) is the nation’s oldest and most versatile federal law enforcement agency. Federal Marshals have served the country since 1789, oftentimes in unseen but critical ways. To this day, the Marshals Service occupies a uniquely central position in the US Federal Justice System. It is the enforcement arm of the federal courts, and as such, it is involved in virtually every federal law enforcement initiative. Presidentially appointed, U.S. Marshals direct the activities of 94 districts — one for each federal judicial district. More than 3,340 Deputy U.S. Marshals and Criminal Investigators form the backbone of the agency. Among their many duties, they apprehend federal and state fugitives, protect the federal judiciary, operate the Witness Security Program, transport federal prisoners and seize property acquired by criminals through illegal activities.
Designated by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the USMS is the federal government’s primary agency for apprehending fugitives. Through its interagency fugitive task forces, international operations, information sharing programs, and close cooperation with federal, state, local, and foreign law enforcement agencies, the USMS facilitates the timely apprehension of dangerous fugitives and helps preserve the integrity of the criminal justice system. The USMS, which has statutory responsibility for all international extraditions, sees to it that there is no safe haven for criminals who flee the territorial boundaries of the United States. In FY 2012, the U.S. Marshals successfully completed a record 904 extraditions/deportations from over 65 countries.
The USMS has maintained a foreign field office in Kingston, Jamaica since 2003. The primary function of the office is to conduct fugitive investigations in conjunction with the security forces in Jamaica, primarily the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Jamaica Fugitive Apprehension Team (JFAT) as well as the Jamaica Defense Force. The USMS Jamaica Foreign Field Office also works closely with representatives of the Ministry of National Security, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, as well as other government organizations. The office is also responsible for coordinating the apprehension and extradition or deportation of wanted criminals back to the United States. As the primary agency responsible for international fugitive returns, the USMS Jamaica Foreign Field Office regularly works with and is relied upon by all federal, state, and local agencies in the US to locate and safely return fugitives stemming from their indictments or flight to avoid prosecution.
Over the years, the USMS Jamaica Foreign Field Office has coordinated and provided training to the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Jamaica Defense Force to improve officer safety and investigative skills. Valuable advanced investigative training has been conducted locally in Jamaica and at courses held in the United States. Courses have been held at the USMS Special Operations Group Training Facility in Pineville, Louisiana, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia and the Jamaica Constabulary Force Training Academy in Twickenham Park, ST. Catherine, Jamaica.
Further information concerning the USMS can be found on the USMS website.