U.S. Marshals: Taking Career Criminals to Task

May 11, 2009— -- "He's gunning it. He's gunning it!"

Near Atlanta, U.S. Marshals were chasing a man wanted on charges that include allegations of aggravated assault on a police officer, attempting to escape and elude authorities. They also suspected the man was addicted to crack and methamphetamine and in the middle of a car-stealing spree.

The cars picked up speed as the suspect tries to elude the authorities. But shortly after Douglas Parker raced past two children walking down the street, the chase was over.

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"He just wrecked, he just wrecked," one of the officers said over the radio.

Parker tries to run, but authorities tackled and Tasered him.

The car is stolen, and inside, officials say they find a loaded gun, suspected drugs, stolen license plates and cash.

Parker had at least nine previous convictions, ranging from theft to battery.

His arrest is part of a new strategy deployed nationwide by U.S. Marshals and police. To reduce or control violent crime, authorities target career criminals -- chronic repeat offenders. Earlier this year, ABC News got an exclusive look at the inner workings of the initiative.

In recent years, more and more police departments have developed a new strategy to reduce or hold down crime rates, but rising crime is a concern for authorities as the economy continues its downturn.

They systematically target their regions' worst repeat offenders, who boost local crime and terrorize communities. At the tip of the spear: The U.S. Marshals, who work on regional task forces, such as the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force in the Atlanta area.

Many of the task force members are not federal agents but local police officers hand-picked to work in the specialized unit. The local officers are fully deputized and proudly wear the iconic U.S. Marshals star.

Nationwide, the Marshals helped take 109,000 violent fugitives off the street last year and cleared more than 760,000 felony warrants in federal, state and local cases in the last decade, according to federal crime statistics compiled by the U.S. Marshals Service. And since 2003, the Marshals and police in the Atlanta area alone have cut the murder rate by 22 percent and overall violent crime by more than one-third.