April 21, 2008

New York — The story of law enforcement in America cannot be told without telling the story of law enforcement in New York City. So when the first-ever National Law Enforcement Museum opens its doors in Washington, DC, in 2011, the rich history and contributions of New York law enforcement will be prominently featured.

To introduce the city's civic, business and media communities to the Museum and the role New York will play in it, the National Law Enforcement Museum is holding a special salute to New York law enforcement.

NOTE: This event is invitation only for the general public only. Members of the news media are invited to attend; still photography only.

Authorized by Congress in the year 2000, the National Law Enforcement Museum will be an architecturally inspiring, 95,000 square foot, underground museum located in the nation's capital. Scheduled to open in 2011, the privately funded Museum has launched an $80 million capital campaign, with more than $34 million raised to date. Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush serve as co-chairs of the Museum's National Honorary Campaign Committee.

The Museum will showcase a number of law enforcement stories from New York City, including the following:

1. The first law enforcement officers from the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam (Manhattan) in 1625.
2. "Cops in the Big City," an exhibition examining the growth of municipal law enforcement agencies in New York and other cities in the mid-1800s; (supported by a generous gift from the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association of New York City).
3. The touching story of Detective Lieutenant Steven McDonald, a third-generation NYPD officer who was paralyzed in 1986 after being shot by a 15 year old, but returned to the department to spearhead various anti-violence programs.
4. A dynamic and realistic NYPD roll call headed by one of the department's sergeants.
5. A look at how law enforcement has been portrayed in the media through programs such as "Barney Miller," "Cagney & Lacey", "NYPD Blue," the "Law & Order" series and others based in New York.
6. Local law enforcement's heroic response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

Among the Museum's 6,000 artifacts are a number of historical objects from New York City. These include an 1896 .32 Colt New Police Revolver, the first standard-issue service weapon in the Police Department; a uniform coat worn by William Devery, the colorful and flamboyant chief of police from 1898-1901; items depicting Theodore Roosevelt's reform efforts while president of the Board of New York City Police Commissioners in the late 1800s; and objects related to the "draft riots" of 1863.

The Museum is the latest project of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of America's law enforcement officers. The NLEOMF operates the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, which contains the names of approximately 18,000 law officers who have died in the line of duty in the nation's history. For information, including a virtual tour of the Museum, visit www.LawEnforcmentMuseum.org.

About the NLEOMF:
Founded in 1984, the non-profit National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund works to increase public support for the law enforcement profession by permanently recording and appropriately commemorating the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers, and to provide information that promotes law enforcement safety. In 1991, the NLEOMF dedicated the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, on which the names of approximately 18,000 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history are engraved. The NLEOMF is now leading the effort to build the first-ever National Law Enforcement Museum. For more information, visit www.nleomf.org.

CONTACT:
Kevin Morison, 202.737.7134
kevin@nleomf.org