By Benjamin Bradlow

Amid cheers, requests for pictures, and a big box of Philly-style pretzels, Mayor Michael Nutter dropped in today on fugitives waiting to clear their record or receive new court dates at the True Gospel Tabernacle Church on the corner of 16th and Mifflin in South Philadelphia. This was the second day where those people with outstanding warrants for nonviolent crimes and misdemeanors could surrender to law-enforcement authorities as part of the pilot run of the Fugitive Safe Surrender program. Eddie Robinson, known to friends as “Red Top,” because he used to have dyed, bright red hair, exited the church just before 1 pm exulting, “I’m free.” The North Philadelphia man, aged 41, came to clear a two year old outstanding warrant for missing probation for a month. He said he was changing his life and had recently joined a church. After clearing his name, “it feels like being born again,” he said. Minutes later he was shaking Nutter’s hand as the mayor offered his congratulations.

Nutter spoke briefly to Fugitive Safe Surrender program volunteers, and those waiting to clear their warrants or who had done so earlier in the day, and praised the church’s preacher, Rev. Ernest McNear, who was one of the main organizers of the initiative. “He’s opened his church up to be a sanctuary for souls who have been lost for a long time,” Nutter said. He then spied a box of pretzels being brought in for volunteers and those attending the church’s court hearings and asked if he might partake.

The program brought in 151 people to clear their warrants yesterday and had already brought in about the same number by 12 pm today. Word is spreading as people with outstanding warrants find the proceedings in the church less threatening than a normal courthouse. Napoleon Brooks, a 28 year-old man from Southwest Philadelphia, came to clear an outstanding warrant for trespassing. “I felt a whole lot more secure [coming to the church],” he said. “I really want to get my name clear so I can get a job and get on with my life.” He said that because of what he saw as the warm environment at the church today he was more likely to attend his next scheduled court appearance in 11 days.

Marvin Jones, 34, of South Philadelphia whose name was cleared yesterday of narcotics possession and retail theft charges, was back today to volunteer to help others who were turning themselves in. “I know how they might be feeling,” he said. He said he was thankful for the chance to clear his name so that he could be more employable, a motivation echoed by many surrendering to warrants today. “For me to show my appreciation, this is the only way I knew how,” Jones said about why he came back to volunteer today.

Rick Tessari is the Supervisory Deputy of the US Marshals. His agency oversees the program. Tessari said organizers are hoping that between 500 and 1,000 people will turn themselves in by the end of the program on Saturday. Those numbers may or may not be in reach, but with volunteers’ cheers for each successive “surrender,” as they are being called, echoing around the blocks near the church, at least some are taking the chance to clear their name.

Benjamin Bradlow is an intern at WHYY and a recent graduate of Swarthmore College.