Fall 2008: Memorial News - National Law Enforcement Officers

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NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MEMORIAL FUND
FALL 2008
MemorialNews
400 Seventh Street, NW
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20004
www.nleomf.org
Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities
Fall Sharply During First Half of 2008
F
ollowing an unexpected
surge in 2007, the number of U.S. law enforcement officers killed in the line of
duty declined 41 percent during
the first six months of 2008, reaching the lowest level in more than
four decades.
Preliminary data from the
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund indicate 59
officers died between January 1
and June 30, 2008. The last time
the mid-year total was that low
was 1965, when there were 55
line-of-duty deaths. By comparison, 100 law enforcement officers
died in the line of duty during the
first six months of 2007. That was
the highest six-month total since
1978. By the end of 2007, a total of
181 law enforcement officers had
lost their lives in the line of duty,
which was 20 percent higher than
the previous year.
Encouraging Numbers
for 2008 and Beyond
“While these statistics offer
little comfort to the loved ones
and colleagues of those officers
who made the ultimate sacrifice
this year, for the law enforcement profession as a whole the
preliminary numbers for 2008 are
encouraging, especially in light
of the dramatic increase in officer
All major causes of officer fatalities have declined this year.
deaths that occurred just last year,”
said NLEOMF Chairman and CEO
Craig W. Floyd. “It is our hope that
2008 will usher in a new era in which
far fewer law enforcement officers are
injured or killed in the line of duty,”
he added.
▶▶ Drive Safely|Officer Visibility .........2
Other findings from the midyear report:
▶▶ Museum Edvisory Committee
Formed ..........................................5
▶▶ The number of officers shot and
killed declined 45 percent, from
38 during the first half of 2007 to
21 this year. That was the lowest number of firearms-related
fatalities since 1960, when there
were 18 such deaths at mid-year.
▶▶ Police Week 2008 ......................6-7
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 4
IN THIS ISSUE
▶▶ Best Cop TV Shows & Movies ........4
▶▶ Museum Campaign Update ............8
▶▶ National Night Out ........................10
1
This year’s mid-year total was the lowest since 1965.
DRIVE SAFELY
Working to Enhance
Officer Visibility
O
ver the past decade,
more than 150 law enforcement officers were
struck and killed by other vehicles
as the officers were outside their
own cruisers.
3
FROM PAGE 1
▶▶ Traffic-related deaths were down
by nearly 35 percent, from 46
during the first half of 2007 to 30
in 2008. If current trends continue, 2008 will be the 11th year
in a row in which more officers
are killed in traffic-related incidents than by gunfire or any
other single cause of death.
▶▶ Eight officers died during the
first six months of 2008 from
other causes, including five
who succumbed to job-related
physical illnesses and two
who were fatally stabbed.
▶▶ Texas, with seven, experienced
the most law enforcement officer fatalities during the first
half of 2008. California had five
fatalities, followed by Georgia, with four, and Ohio and
Oklahoma, with three each.
▶▶ Twenty-six states and the U.S.
Virgin Islands experienced officer fatalities between January
1 and June 30. Four members
of federal law enforcement also
died during this time period.
NLEOMF, C.O.P.S. Release Data
The statistics were compiled by
the NLEOMF Research Department
and released jointly with Concerns
of Police Survivors. The data are
preliminary and do not represent a
final or complete list of individual
officers who will be added to the
National Law Enforcement Officers
Memorial.
The Research Bulletin, “Law
Enforcement Officer Deaths, MidYear 2008,” is available at
www.nleomf.org.
Get the latest statistics on officer fatalities and other facts
and figures on the NLEOMF website–www.nleomf.org
In an effort to improve officer
visibility and decrease injuries
and deaths, the Federal Highway
Administration has published
new regulations (23 CFR Part 634:
Worker Visibility) on wearing
high-visibility safety apparel that
meets new performance standards.
The new regulations cover law
enforcement officers on foot who
are directing traffic, investigating crashes, and handling lane
closures, obstructed highways
and disasters. As the November
24, 2008, deadline for compliance
approaches, the NLEOMF and 3M
Scotchlite™ Reflective Material
are teaming up to promote officer
safety and ensure agencies are
aware of how the new regulations
affect them.
As part of its “Protect our Protectors” program, 3M will donate
a portion of the proceeds from the
sale of high-visibility safety garments that use Scotchlite reflective
material. 3M is committing $25,000
to the Memorial Fund, whose
“Drive Safely” campaign reminds
motorists to be careful around
emergency vehicles stopped by the
side of the road.
“Education is key regarding
the upcoming Federal Highway
regulations on First Responder
visibility, and partnering with the
NLEOMF is a great fit for promoting roadway safety for law enforcement,” said Jean Waller, 3M
Visibility and Insulation Solutions.
Reminder to all departments that have a line-of-duty death during 2008: December 31, 2008,
is the deadline to submit paperwork for consideration on the Memorial in 2009. For details,
call Bernetta Spence at (202) 737-7133 or visit www.nleomf.org/TheMemorial/addname.htm.
2
www.scotchlite.com/nleomf
Museum Programs
Sheriff Made History; Museum to Tell His Story
L
ucius Amerson knew he
was making history when
he became the first elected
African-American sheriff in the
South since Reconstruction. Elected
sheriff of Macon County, AL, in
1966, Sheriff Amerson served four
terms until 1987, providing 20 years
of service during a highly sensitive
time for race relations in the country. He preserved newspapers,
pictures, magazines, badges, and
uniforms diligently, meticulously, in an almost uncanny way—
as though waiting for the museum
historians who would one day want
to share his story with the world.
Although Sheriff Amerson
preserved history, the task of bringing his story to the public was left
to his son, Anthony Amerson, a
former Army captain and currently
an analyst with the Department of
Homeland Security.
Sheriff Amerson had begun to
document his story in an autobiography, but he died in 1994 before the
book could be completed. Anthony
stepped in and finished the memoir,
called Great Courage, recalling stories
and impressions he had of his father
while growing up.
ized him after arresting him on
charges of disorderly conduct. The
officers made him dance as one fired
bullets at his feet.
“The whole eyes of the black
community were going to see
whether this black sheriff was a
defunct placeholder or whether he
was going to really do his job,” Mr.
Amerson told the Post.
After working out the details
with the Museum staff, Anthony
walked into the National Law
Enforcement Museum offices in
Washington, DC, with boxes filled
with Sheriff Amerson’s carefully
preserved belongings, bringing with
him a story for each.
An Early Test
In an August interview with the
Washington Post, Anthony Amerson
recalled one momentous incident
that would be an early test of his
father’s integrity and courage. In
1968 a young African-American man
came to the sheriff and told him
that a white state trooper and white
police chief of a town in Macon
County had beaten and terror-
Sheriff Amerson ordered both
officials arrested, a move Anthony
Amerson described as unheard of
at the time. The decision earned the
sheriff great respect in the community, although the two officials were
later acquitted of the charges.
Part of a Growing Collection
Sheriff Amerson’s collection is
among the 6,500 historical artifacts,
photographs, oral histories, and
manuscripts that are now part of
the Museum’s growing collection.
His items will help tell the story in
the Museum’s “A Time of Protest”
exhibit, part of the “History of Law
Enforcement” Gallery. Sections of
this exhibit will explore the integration of law enforcement in America
during the often turbulent Civil
Rights era.
Colt .357 Python, c. 1968, Collection of the
NLEM, 2008.53.73
Colt revolver owned by Sheriff Amerson that
was damaged after his patrol car crashed
and burned during a stolen vehicle chase in
Alabama 40 years ago.
Anthony Amerson, Sheriff Amerson’s son, and Jenifer Ashton, Associate Curator, go
through the collection of his father’s belongings that Mr. Amerson donated to the
National Law Enforcement Museum.
Individuals who have items that may be of interest
to the Museum are encouraged to contact Vanya
Scott, Museum Registrar/Collections Manager, at
(202) 737-7869 or [email protected]. View a
want list of tems that the Museum is searching for
at www.LawEnforcementMuseum.org.
33
Ki nd er ga rt en Co p
Rating the Best Cop Jack Bauer
TV Shows and Movies The untouchables
s part of the National
shootouts and more, in movies and
Tombstone
Law Enforcement Muon television. The goal: gather pub-
A
seum’s ongoing efforts to
keep concepts fresh and in-tune with
the visitors we will serve, Museum
Programs staff came up with a
questionnaire to collect information
on your favorite (and least favorite)
law enforcement characters, interrogation scenes, comedies,
lic input that will help staff fine-tune
some of the content in the “Reel to
Real” Gallery, which explores how
law enforcement has been portrayed
in popular culture and how that
compares to the lives of real,
working officers.
Questions such as, “Who
is your favorite TV or movie
cop character?,” “What is your
favorite car chase?” and “What is
the best line from a cop movie or
TV show?” brought hundreds of
online responses. See if you can
predict what we found out! Some
of the results may surprise you.
LA Confidential
Det. Andy Sip
owicz
1
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
d i e h a rd
riscoe
Det. Lennie B
the departed
Dirty Harry
T
Beverly Hills Cop (1984-1994)
Lethal Weapon (1987-1992)
Police Academy (1984-1994)
Naked Gun (1988-1994)
Running Scared (1986)
Super Troopers (2001)
Kindergarten Cop (1990)
Learn more about the “Reel to Real” Gallery at
www.nleomf.org/TheMuseum/experience/reel_gallery.php
Sheriff Andy Taylor
2
T
wo of these films, or series of
films, tied for the #1 favorite
comedy film submitted by
our survey-takers, earning 18% of the
votes each, or 36% of the total vote.
Which two?
he five actors (listed on the left) played one of the top five favorite cop characters (listed on the right)
in a TV show or movie, submitted by our voters. Can you match the actor on the left with the character
he played on the right?
For an extra challenge, see if you can
list them in order of preference, starting with the most favorite to the
lesser favorite of the top five cop characters.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
3
Clint Eastwood Bruce Wietz Jerry Orbach Dennis Franz Jack Webb ____
____
____
____
____
1. _______________
2. _______________
3. _______________
4. _______________
5. _______________
a. Det. Andy Sipowicz (NYPD Blue)
b. Sgt. Joe Friday (Dragnet)
c. Det. Mick Belker (Hill Street Blues)
d. Det. Lennie Briscoe (Law & Order)
e. Insp. Harry Callahan (Dirty Harry, 1971)
he “Least Favorite Cop” category
came up with some interesting results.
Number one went to Alonzo Harris,
Denzel Washington’s corrupt cop character in the
movie “Training Day,” with approximately 10%
of the online vote. But #2, with more than 6% of
the responses, went to a character that is neither
corrupt nor defunct, in a spin-off of the popular
TV crime series, CSI. Who is he?
4
—Bonus—
Top Five in order:
4
D
espite the complex computer graphics
and huge special effects budgets of
later movies, it was this cop movie
from 1968 that earned the top spot for favorite car
chase, with almost 30% of the online responses
going to it.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
French Connection
Bullitt
Blues Brothers
Seven Up’s
Smokey and the Bandit
(Answers page 10)
T
Bonus:
Museum’s “Ed”visory Committee Charts Course
For Educational Programming
W
ith plans for the
first-ever National
Law Enforcement
Museum moving forward, members
of the Museum’s special Edvisory
Committee made their first trip to
Washington, DC, in August to set
the foundation for the Museum’s
educational programming
and focus.
Experts in law enforcement,
museum education, civics, science,
history, early childhood education,
socially responsible museum programming, and other professions
shared perspectives on the broad
potential impact of the Museum’s
reach and the importance of
its message.
Betsy Bowers,
the Museum’s
Director of Education and Visitor
Experience, led
the group in a
two-day exploration of the educational basis of the Betsy Bowers, Director
of Education and
new Museum.
Outside of meet- Visitor Experience
ing and getting
acquainted with one another for the
first time, committee members had
an ambitious itinerary before them.
They examined the Museum’s developing mission statement through an
educational perspective; discussed
the Museum’s place and impact on
law enforcement as a profession;
shared ideas on an educational plan
for the museum; and discussed ideas
for traveling exhibits and web-based
educational opportunities to grow
interest and involvement in the
Museum across the country, even
before it opens.
The Edvisory Committee is in a
unique position as an educational
group. With much of the exhibition
design already planned and laid
out, the committee’s objective now
is to take what is already in place
and frame programs around the
Museum’s design to maximize its
educational opportunity and create
genuine connections with
its visitors.
The committee members finished
off their first day with a visit to the
National Law Enforcement Officers
Memorial; for many, it was their first
visit. A staff-led tour on the history
of the Memorial and some of the
names on its walls gave committee
members a chance to understand the
significance, and gravity, of
their work.
Ms. Bowers joined the Museum
staff in January 2008 to lead the
development of a comprehensive
Museum education strategy that includes public programs, school and
group visits, classroom curriculum
materials, electronic field trips, and
more. Her goal is to create “visitorcentered educational programs that
connect the story of law enforcement
to the public in meaningful ways.”
Ms. Bowers brings 20 years of
museum education experience to
her role, including work with the
National Gallery of Art, the National
Building Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution in DC.
She says the importance of the
Edvisory Committee cannot be overstated: “With the committee’s help,
the Museum will become a leading
educational institution for history,
information, and resources on law
enforcement, expanding its reach to
impact individuals across America,
even the world.”
Edvisory Committee Members
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Joan Baronberg, ECE CARES Program
Susan Badder, National Law Enforcement Museum
Lisa Boyd, Target
Ann Claunch, Ph.D., National History Day
Michael G. Fischer, Center for Civic Education
David Johnson, Ph.D., University of Texas San Antonio
Darryl A. Jones, Sr., Communities in Schools of the Nation’s Capital
Tom Hill, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives
J. Ted Hunt, Ph.D., Los Angeles Police Protective League
John Matthews, Community Safety Institute
▶▶
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Carol Petrie, National Academies
Dorothy Schulz, Ph.D., John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Sharon Shaffer, Ph.D., Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center
Sheriff Ronald G. Spike, Yates County (NY)
Carol B. Stapp, Ph.D., The George Washington University
William Walsh, Southern Police Institute
Roy Weaver, Ed.D., Ball State University
Lynn Williams, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Kristin Yochum, District of Columbia Office of the State
Superintendent of Education
55
HIGHLIGHTS of
National Police Week 2008
N
ational Police Week started out this year with a
bang. A bang of lightning, a burst of thunder, and
inches of rain all put Washington, DC, under water. But the
spirit of the week prevailed despite the weather, and as the
Candlelight Vigil and Peace Officers Memorial Day rolled
around, sunshine and mild weather came with it. This was a
Police Week of emotion, fellowship, and support.
The 13th Annual Law Ride &
Wreathlaying | May 11
A
n estimated 1,100 motorcycle riders—among
them U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters—made the annual trek from RFK Stadium to the
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Law
Ride pays tribute to law enforcement officers killed
in the line of duty, in
particular the more
than 1,200 motorcycle
officers who have
made the ultimate
sacrifice throughout
U. S. history.
Law Ride 2008
raised close to $50,000
for the NLEOMF.
Tippit Family Makes First Visit to the
Memorial | May 12
O
n Nov. 22, 1963, Dallas Police Officer J. D. Tippit stopped to question Lee Harvey Oswald, who was quietly
on his way out of Dallas, minutes after
Oswald had assassinated President John
F. Kennedy. Nervous that he had been caught,
Oswald shot Officer Tippit four times. Oswald was
arrested a short time later; 39-year-old J. D. Tippit
died on the way to the hospital.
Officer Tippit left behind a wife, Marie, and
three young children. Mrs. Tippit had never seen
her heroic husband’s name engraved on the walls
of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, until this Police Week.
With the help of Dallas Police officers, Marie
Tippit and her son, Curtis, made their first visit to
the Memorial. Craig Floyd presented Mrs. Tippit
with a framed picture of her husband and a rubbing of his name.
6
Police Unity Tour Arrival Ceremony | May 12
T
he rain made its presence known to the Police Unity Tour
this year. Once again “riding for those who died,” our brave
men and women in blazing PUT blue fought through days of torrential rain during their journeys from northern New Jersey and
southern Virginia. The final leg of the ride—considered by most to
be the most memorable part—had to be cut short due to the severe
weather.
Instead of riding into the Memorial
at 2 p.m., the group chose a safer route
and took a bus into the District. They
re-scheduled their arrival ceremony for
7 p.m. that evening. Hundreds gathered
in the light drizzle to celebrate their
best fundraising year yet.
The Unity Tour presented the
NLEOMF with more than $1,227,000
to go to the National Law Enforcement
Museum, part of their $5 million pledge
made in 2005.
20th Annual Candlelight Vigil | May 13
W
ith glowing candles held high and a sharp blue laser light
overhead, an estimated 20,000 people packed the
Memorial for the 20th Annual Candlelight Vigil in honor of
America’s fallen law enforcement officers.
Candlelight Vigil DVD available online at
www.nleomf.org/html/category/2.html
Approximately half of the two-hour ceremony involved the
reading aloud of all 358 names that were added this year to the
walls of the Memorial—181 officers who died in 2007 and 177
who died in previous years.
The names were read by U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey,
NLEOMF board members, law enforcement leaders, and survivors from
across the country. Jean Hill, national
president of Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) and General Mukasey
together lit the Memorial Candle, from
which the lighting of the thousands of
candles in the crowd began.
Photos by Sonny Odom
Peace Officers Memorial Day | May 15
O
n the day our nation lowered its flags to half-staff, loved
ones and colleagues of law enforcement officers killed in
the line of duty in 2007 gathered at the steps of the U.S. Capitol
for a special ceremony.
U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine Chao gave remarks and the
names of fallen officers were read aloud during the 27th Annual
Peace Officers Memorial Day Service. Designated by President
John F. Kennedy in 1962, Peace Officers Memorial Day is an important part of honoring the country’s fallen heroes.
Photo by Gina Jackson
At the conclusion of the U.S. Capitol service, leaders of the Fraternal Order of Police, the FOP
Auxiliary, Concerns of Police Survivors, and the NLEOMF brought the wreath from the Capitol
to the Memorial to remain under the watch of honor guards for the rest of the evening.
7
Development Update
Target to Sponsor
Museum’s Forensics Lab
W
ith the enormous popularity of television programs such as “CSI,”
Americans in recent years have
become fascinated with forensic
science. Now, through a $1.5 million
donation from Target, the public will
get a chance to try its hand at analyzing evidence and solving crimes
in a forensics lab exhibition inside
the new National Law Enforcement
Museum.
The Target Forensics Lab is
expected to be one of the most
popular exhibitions in the Museum
when it opens in Washington, DC,
in 2011. The goal is to help visitors
better understand the science behind
forensics and more fully appreciate
the hard work and dedication of the
professionals who investigate and
solve crimes.
CSI ... but not like TV
“TV presents crime solving as a
simple, almost routine process that
takes 60 minutes, minus the commercials. But in reality, crime scene
investigation is an intricate, scientifically grounded process,” said Craig
W. Floyd, Chairman and CEO
of the NLEOMF. “Thanks to
the generosity of Target, we
will be able to show Museum
visitors, including schoolaged children from across the
country, what really goes into
investigating crimes and how
modern forensics labs are helping to bring criminals to justice.”
The Target Forensics Lab will
feature six stations—fingerprinting,
trace analysis, blood spatter analysis,
DNA, toxicology, and firearms
toolmarks and impressions—plus
materials on forensic accounting,
entomology, and a realistic medical
examiner’s office. Museum visitors
will be able to “take the case,” choosing one of four real crimes featured
in the Museum—collecting evidence
and analyzing it in the lab before
identifying a suspect.
Target & Blue
The“Target & BLUE” program
works to create healthy, safe, and
vibrant communities by sharing
information, technology, and expertise with law enforcement. The
Museum to Feature Bell Helicopter
the annual Airborne Law Enforcement Association (ALEA) Conference in Houston.
Paul Pitts, Bell’s Director for Homeland
Security and Justin Braun, NLEOMF
Corporate Relations Manager
T
hanks to Bell Helicopter,
visitors to the National
Law Enforcement Museum
will get to see what airborne law enforcement is all about. Bell, a Textron
Inc., company, is donating one of its
206B helicopters to the Museum, the
company announced in July during
8
Bell is celebrating 60 years of
supplying helicopters to law enforcement agencies around the world.
Starting with a Bell 47 flying with
the New York Police, Bell today has
a wide range of products performing
law enforcement missions, including
the Bell 206.
“Bell is proud to be associated
with the National Law Enforcement
Museum and its commitment to
telling the story of law enforcement
in America,” said Paul Pitts, Bell’s
Director for Homeland Security.
Minnesota-based retailer has its
own crime laboratories primarily to investigate theft, fraud, and
other crimes involving its more than
1,600 stores. However, the labs are
frequently called upon to assist local,
state, and federal law enforcement
in investigating crimes unrelated to
Target.
”Sponsoring the forensics exhibit is a natural extension of the resources and expertise we offer to law
enforcement, including our forensics
capabilities,” said Brad Brekke, Vice
President, Assets Protection, Target.
Since 1946, Target has given 5
percent of its income to support and
enrich the communities it serves.
Today that equates to more than $3
million every week to support education, the arts, social services, and
volunteerism.
NLEOMF Interns
e thank our interns for their
W
invaluable assistance
this summer.
Nancy Anderson will pursue her
doctorate at Queens College in
Belfast, Ireland; Rodney Horne
is completing his senior year at
Towson University; Katie Kline
is a junior at Frostburg State
University; Sam Raasch and
Daniel F. Wynne are entering their
sophomore year at Penn State
University and Lynchburg College,
respectively; Courtney Steed
will continue her graduate studies
at Appalachian State University;
Jacqueline Piccigallo (MA – University of Delaware) and Andrea
McKeever (MA – Williams College) are pursuing their careers.
Best wishes, and thank you for a
job well done.
Using Assets Seized from Criminals To Help
Build The National Law Enforcement Museum
E
ach year, the U.S. Department of Justice returns to
state and local law enforcement agencies millions of dollars in
ill-gotten assets seized from drug
dealers and other criminals—more
than $400 million in 2007 alone.
Now, the Justice Department is
making it possible for agencies to
use a portion of their federal asset
forfeiture funds to support the creation of the first-ever National Law
Enforcement Museum in Washington, DC.
Under DOJ regulations, a participating law enforcement agency
is permitted to use up to 15 percent
of its total federal equitable sharing
funds to support community-based
programs by private, nonprofit organizations that are “supportive of and
consistent with a law enforcement
effort, policy, or initiative.” This
past April, DOJ’s Asset Forfeiture
and Money Laundering Section
ruled that the Museum’s “Matter of
Honor” campaign qualifies for asset
forfeiture funds under this provision.
Florida Agencies Step Forward
Since then, two sheriff’s offices in
Florida became the first agencies to
take advantage of this new program.
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, led by Sheriff Donald Eslinger,
and the Orange County Sheriff’s
Office, led by Sheriff Kevin Beary,
each provided $5,000 in federal asset forfeiture funds to the Museum
campaign.
This followed the announcement
that other Florida law enforcement
agencies are using some of their
state asset forfeiture funds to support the Museum. The Miami-Dade
Chiefs Association has pledged
$250,000, with approximately
$200,000 raised to date using state
forfeiture money. The Miami-Dade
Police Department, under the leadership of Director Bobby Parker,
recently gave $125,000 in state asset
forfeiture funds.
“Imagine, if you will, the drug
enforcement exhibition in the
Museum being funded with money
seized from drug traffickers in your
community or the white-collar crime
exhibition being funded with monies
seized in a sting operation in your
Other Museum Donations
The NLEOMF salutes the following
generous donors to the Museum’s
“Matter of Honor” campaign
(May 1-August 31, 2008):
▶▶ National Latino Peace Officers Association (NLPOA) - $100,000
▶▶ Fraternal Order of Police –
“Imagine, if you will,
the drug enforcement
exhibition in the
Museum being funded
with money seized from
drug traffickers”
—Craig Floyd, NLEOMF
Chairman & CEO
local area,” NLEOMF Chairman
and CEO Craig W. Floyd wrote in
a letter to law enforcement executives announcing the asset forfeiture
program.
Florida State Lodge - $75,000
▶▶ Iron Warriors Motorcycle
Club - $20,000
▶▶ International Law Enforcement Educa-
tors and Trainers Association - $15,000
NLPOA – Milwaukee Chapter - $15,000
Baton Rouge Union of Police - $12,500
Verizon Wireless - $12,500
Defenders Motorcycle Club - $10,000
Fox Entertainment Group - $10,000
Alan L. Meltzer - $10,000
National Conference of Law Enforcement
Emerald Societies - $10,000
▶▶ Sprint Nextel Corporation - $10,000
▶▶ Texas Police Chiefs
Association - $10,000
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The idea of using federal asset
forfeiture funds to support the “Matter of Honor” campaign was first
proposed by Sheriff Beary during
the National Sheriffs’ Association
2008 Winter Conference. NLEOMF
staff met with the DOJ’s Asset
Forfeiture and Money Laundering
Section to discuss the idea.
DOJ Gives the OK
The DOJ responded on April
11, 2008, in a letter from Section
Chief Richard Weber. “After careful
consideration, we have determined
that such donations would be a
permissible use of equitable sharing
monies on the part of State and local
agencies,” he wrote.
For more information, contact
John Shanks, Director of Law
Enforcement Relations, at (202) 7378529 or [email protected].
Federal Employees:
Make the National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial
Fund your charity of choice.
CFC No. 11631
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9
News in Brief
National Night Out on
The National Mall
T
housands of DC-area
residents and out-of-town,
even out-of-country, visitors stopped by the National Mall on
Tuesday, August 5, to celebrate the
25th anniversary of National Night
Out with Target, the DC Metropolitan Police Department, and staff
from the NLEOMF and the National
Law Enforcement Museum.
With everything from a Junior
Forensic Scientist fingerprint activity
booklet to free photographs behind
cardboard replicas of real
Museum photographs, the Museum display
boasted some of the highest visitation of any booth at the event.
Observed on the first Tuesday in
August each year, National Night
Out is a nationwide celebration
of police-community partnerships and crime prevention efforts.
National Night Out 2008 was an
opportunity for NLEOMF staff to
meet some great law enforcement
supporters, showcase plans for
the Museum, and interact with a
staple of the National Mall and of
Washington, DC—tourists! With
clipboards in hand, Museum team
members approached visitors with
questions about their impressions
of law enforcement movies and TV
shows—the characters, the plots,
and the scenes that have come to
shape the way Americans view law
enforcement today.
Museum Programs staff plan to
use the answers to the questionnaire—both hard copy and online
responses—to help develop content
for the Museum’s “Reel to Real”
Gallery. (To read more about what
we learned, see page 4.)
Thank you to everyone who celebrated National Night Out 2008—in
DC and across the country.
The key to keeping our neighborhoods, and our police officers,
safe lies in the way we all work
together—families, communities,
and law enforcement.
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Vanya Scott, Museum Registrar/
Collections Manager talks with a law
enforcement officer during NNO.
National Law Enforcement
Museum Salutes New York
I
n its continuing efforts to
engage communities in
supporting the National
Law Enforcement Museum’s capital
campaign, “A Matter of Honor,” the
NLEOMF Division of Development
held a special event earlier this year
in New York City.
Members of the hit NBC crime
drama “Law & Order: SVU”
headlined “The National Law
Enforcement Museum Salutes New
York” on April 22 at the New York
Athletic Club.
Actor Richard
Belzer, a member
of the Museum’s
National Honorary Campaign
Committee,
and David
Zirnkilton, who
provides the
Actor Richard Belzer
voice-over of the
show’s introduction, provided stories of their experiences witnessing
the real NYPD Special Victims Unit
and why attendees should support
a national museum dedicated to the
law enforcement profession. Two
longtime friends of the NLEOMF—
Jack McCann, President of Argus
Protective Services, and Mike McCann, CEO of McCann Protective
Services—co-hosted the salute.
For more information, contact
Eileen Kennedy, Director of Major
Gifts and Planned Giving, at (202)
737-7862 or [email protected].
Answers to “Reel to Real” Gallery
Questionnaire from page 4
1. (c) Police Academy and (f) Super
Troopers
2. 1-e; 2-c; 3-d; 4-a; 5-b; Bonus: e, a,
b, d, c
3. Lt. Horatio Caine (David Caruso)
4. (b) Bullitt
Visitors to the Memorial
2008 Distinguished Service Award:
U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer
S
July 30, 2008 - The Honorable Jawad
Karim al Bulani, Iraqi Minister of the
Interior, joined NLEOMF staff at the
Memorial to lay a ceremonial wreath
in honor of all law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.
teny Hoyer of
Maryland, the
United States
House Majority Leader
and a long-time champion of law enforcement,
is the recipient of the
NLEOMF’s 2008 Distinguished Service Award.
A life-long public
Steny Hoyer, U.S. House Majority Leader, receives the
servant, Congressman
Distinguished Service Award from NLEOMF Chairman
Hoyer has represented
and CEO Craig W. Floyd and members of the Prince
Maryland’s 5th Congres- George’s County (MD) Police Department.
sional District since 1981.
He has spearheaded a
The commemorative coin initiative
number of crime-fighting initiatives
raised $1.4 million for the long-term
that have helped to lower crime
maintenance of the Memorial.
rates and enhance officer safety.
Majority Leader Hoyer is the
The NLEOMF is especially grateful for his leadership in securing the
issuance of 140,000 commemorative
coins honoring our fallen heroes
and his steadfast support of the National Law Enforcement Museum.
July 9, 2008 - Officer Stephen Cooke,
a 25-year veteran of the Australian
National Police Force, stopped by
the Memorial with Bernie Spence,
Director of Research for Memorial
Programs, to learn about its history
and operation and to find ways to
help the survivors of police officers
killed in the line of duty in Australia. They were joined at the Memorial by Martha Wood, a survivor.
We’ve Moved!
After 15 years in the AARP Building on E
Street, NW, the NLEOMF Visitors Center &
Store has relocated to 400 7th Street, NW
— just a few blocks from the Memorial at
the corner of 7th and D Streets, NW.
The new facility continues to offer interesting information about law enforcement
and the National Memorial to fallen
officers. It also stocks a full range of law
enforcement-related merchandise, including books and videos, clothing, patches,
jewelry and toys.
So the next time you’re in DC, please stop
by our new Visitors Center & Store. And,
you can always view our merchandise
online at www.nleomf.org.
13th recipient of the NLEOMF’s
prestigious award, which recognizes
individuals or organizations that
have made an exceptional and lasting contribution to the law enforcement profession.
NLEOMF Raffles Two Harleys
Marsha Miley, Crawfordville, FL
Michael Espinosa, U.S. Border Patrol
ne hundred years ago,
the Harley-Davidson
Motor Company delivered its first motorcycle for law
enforcement use to the Detroit
Police Department. Since then, the
company has worked closely with
law enforcement groups around the
country—including the NLEOMF.
ticket for a one-of-a-kind Harley
Softail Classic signed by the cast
and producers of the hit NBC crime
drama “Law & Order: SVU.” Then
in September, Marsha Miley, of
Crawfordville, FL, won the second
raffle—a 2008 FLHR Road King.
O
This year, the Memorial Fund
raffled two motorcycles donated by
Harley in support of the first-ever
National Law Enforcement
Museum.
During National Police Week
in May, Michael Espinosa of the
U.S. Border Patrol had the winning
The two raffles combined raised
approximately $50,000 for the Museum’s “Matter of Honor” campaign.
Didn’t win one of these two
Harleys? There will be another opportunity in 2009, as the NLEOMF
plans to raffle the last of three new
motorcycles donated by
Harley-Davidson.
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NON-PROFIT ORG.
US POSTAGE PAID
MCLEAN, VA
PERMIT NO.
7063
400 7th Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20004
(202) 737-3400 • [email protected] • www.nleomf.org
Visit our new online resources
www.nleomf.org
Visitors Center & Store Specials
Memorial Coasters
St. Michael
Keychain
2008
Ornament
2009
Inaugural Badge
Order Online www.nleomf.org
or Call 866-569-4928
Memorial Charm Bracelet
12
When in DC, stop by our new location at
400 7th St., NW (corner of 7th and D Streets)
Board of Directors | Member Organizations
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Concerns of Police Survivors
Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association
Fraternal Order of Police
Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary
International Association of Chiefs of Police
International Brotherhood of Police Officers
International Union of Police Associations/AFL-CIO
National Association of Police Organizations
National Black Police Association
National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
National Sheriffs’ Association
National Troopers Coalition
Police Executive Research Forum
Police Foundation
United Federation of Police
Memorial News is published by the
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
Craig W. Floyd, Chairman and CEO
Kevin P. Morison, Editor
(202) 737-7134
[email protected]
STAFF WRITER
Eshanthi Ranasinghe
ART & DESIGN
Sally Hutchins