FUGITIVES IN WASHINGTON STATE! BEWARE OF BRITISH TOURISTS

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FUGITIVES IN WASHINGTON STATE! BEWARE OF BRITISH TOURISTS


If you're an officer in Washington state, don't be surprised if 
your next fugitive is brought in by a bounty hunting British 
tourist. According to an article in the most recent Sunday edition 
of the New York Times, British tourists might soon be offered 
the opportunity to be trained by British-born professional 
bounty hunter Ted Oliver and to participate in a real live 
fugitive hunt. Oliver, who now lives in Bonney Lake (WA), plans 
to start offering his services next month. 

For $1,600 (excluding airfare, food and accommodations), Oliver 
plans to train the tourists in martial arts and handcuffing 
techniques before taking them on the fugitive trail. Along with a 
uniform, participants will receive a ballistic vest as part of 
their vacation package. "It's for their own protection, really," 
says Oliver. "When you kick the door in, as you sometimes have to, 
you never know what you might find." 

After training, the bounty hunting Brits will accompany Oliver for 
a week of fun and adventure tracking down bail jumpers of all 
kinds, from petty criminals to dangerous armed robbers. But if 
they're thinking of recouping their travel costs by collecting a 
reward for nabbing a fugitive, they need to think again. Part of 
the agreement is that all reward money goes directly to Oliver's 
firm, the National Fugitive Recovery Bureau. 

So what about liability? Seems like a program like this could be 
a legal nightmare. Do the toughened tourists have to sign away 
any right to hold Oliver responsible if they're injured or 
killed? "Good heavens, yes," laughs Oliver's agent Clive Corner. 
"This is entirely at their own risk." 

Sure would make for some interesting vacation stories.


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