STATEMENT USDA Forest Service Washington, D.C.
		Contact: Press Office (202) 205-1134

Forest Service Chief’s Statement on Employee’s Action that Led to Fugitives’ Arrest

The following statement from US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell comes in response to the capture and arrest of two fugitives on the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest in Arizona Aug. 20 following a multi-week nationwide manhunt by law enforcement authorities. An employee of the US Forest Service noticed suspicious behavior at one of the campsites that morning and reported the situation to law enforcement authorities, who surrounded the site and detained the suspects without incident shortly afterward.

WASHINGTON, August 20, 2010 --"Our employee's alert action in notifying the proper authorities of suspicious activities in our national forest led to a quick, safe defusion of a potentially explosive situation," said USDA Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. "I applaud his intuition, prudence and quick action, which ended up protecting not only nearby campers but other communities in the area as well. I consider this guy to be a hero."

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