Look out, fugitives! U.S. marshals are here
FORT SMITH—My best point of reference for the U.S. Marshals Service is Raylan Givens. Raylan is not an actual U.S. marshal. He’s a fictional character (created by novelist Elmore Leonard) who’s the protagonist of the TV series “Justified” (2010-2015) and “Justified: City Primeval” (2023).
As portrayed by Timothy Olyphant (a favorite since he appeared as Seth Bullock in “Deadwood” from 2004-2006), Raylan is a deputy U.S. Marshal whose ethics, problem-solving skills, superb wit, stabbing humor, and short fuse make the show a must-see for me. (Bullock, the character Olyphant played in “Deadwood,” was appointed a U.S. marshal by Teddy Roosevelt in 1905, but that was after the time frame covered in the show.)
My fondness for Raylan, and “Justified,” is surprising, as I’ve never had much affinity for law enforcement.
For many growing up in an era of peace, love, and understanding mixed with turbulent social unrest in an atmosphere of opposition to authority, civil disobedience, and political uproar—all accompanied by casual use of hallucinogens and marijuana—officers of the law didn’t present as trustworthy.
It’s hard to change youthful perceptions, especially when surrounded by a family with members who routinely experienced conflicts with law enforcement and the legal system. But my attitude eventually mellowed to a level of grudging belief that cops are, most of the time, on my side.
That attitude was supported by a recent visit to the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith.
U.S. marshals don’t bust longhaired hippie kids for smoking joints in alleys behind music venues; they’re more concerned with rounding up felony narcotics fugitives. They also protect judges, manage criminal assets, administer the Federal Witness Protection Program and the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System, and protect senior government officials.
The museum covers all this and more within five galleries, arranged in a star shape, that educate guests about the evolving role of America’s oldest federal law enforcement agency (formed in the Judiciary Act of 1789). It manages to not come across as preachy, self-important or condescending; some of its exhibits admit to making mistakes over the years, and take pains to explain ways of remedying those mistakes.
For those who’d rather listen than read about the marshals, there’s the Campfire, an elevated dais where four stationary figures from different eras sit facing one another as moments of marshal history flare and fade on a curved screen behind them. Sounds cheesy, but it’s not.
The intriguing story of formerly enslaved Bass Reeves, who became one of the first Black deputy U.S. marshals (and might have been the inspiration for The Lone Ranger) is front and center, as is a focus on marshals in the movies (like John Wayne in 1969’s “True Grit”—his horse’s silver-bedecked saddle and bridle are on display).
There’s a popular modern gallery that shows how marshals track, apprehend, and extradite fugitives in the U.S. This is where details of signal events are explored, such as 9/11, tax resister Gordon Kahl’s two shootouts with marshals, the standoff at The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord’s compound in northwest Arkansas, Ruby Ridge in Idaho, and the Oklahoma City bombing, along with troublesome environments such as Iraq and Colombia. The names and faces of the 15 Most Wanted—an unsavory-looking crowd—glare down on a running display along the top edge of the room.
A few of the video game-like interactive displays don’t do much to elevate the exchange of knowledge but add some comic relief to a visitor’s experience. Another chuckle is provided by a description of Operation Flagship, a scam in the mid1980s that resulted in the arrest of 101 fugitives who voluntarily went to the Washington, D.C., Convention Center, responding to an invite sent by law enforcement posing as a television company, to claim two free tickets to watch the Washington Redskins home game against the Cincinnati Bengals and get a chance to win tickets to Super Bowl XX.
A total of 166 marshals and police officers were involved, several of whom were disguised as tuxedo-wearing ushers, cheerleaders, emcees, caterers, mascots and maintenance staff.
Undercover officers carried balloons, chanted Redskins cheers, served a buffet brunch, and played videos from the Redskins’ first Super Bowl win on the convention center screens. One marshal wore a Redskins war bonnet while another wore a knockoff San Diego Chicken suit to parade around the convention center. Every officer involved was armed underneath their costume.
One of the perps, when taken into custody, asked, “do I still get my tickets?”
Raylan Givens would have a snappy comeback for that.