March 19, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Efforts to build the first-ever National Law Enforcement Museum have received another boost, thanks to a $100,000 pledge from the nation's leading organization of African-American law enforcement leaders. The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) announced the pledge just days after the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund unveiled detailed plans for the Museum in Washington, D.C., and kicked off the public phase of an $80 million fundraising campaign.

"Through this generous pledge, NOBLE joins a growing list of law enforcement organizations that have made it clear that our nation needs this Museum," said Craig W. Floyd, Chairman and CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF). "Law enforcement is one of the pillars of our free and civil society, and yet it is a profession that is often misunderstood or taken for granted. Thanks to the support of NOBLE and so many others, this Museum will peel away the mystery and help the public come to appreciate the vital role that law enforcement plays in our society," he added.

"NOBLE has long been a leader and proud supporter of the NLEOMF and its work to honor the service and sacrifice of our law enforcement officers," said NOBLE National President Jimmie Dotson. "We are very excited that now, through the National Law Enforcement Museum, the complete story of law enforcement in America will be told, including the unique contributions that African-Americans have made in protecting our communities and advancing the law enforcement profession," said Dotson, retired Chattanooga (TN) Police Chief. NOBLE is one of the founding organizations represented on the NLEOMF's Board of Directors.

Legislation authorizing the National Law Enforcement Museum was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in November 2000. Presidents Clinton and George H.W. Bush are the honorary co-chairs of the Museum's fundraising campaign, called A Matter of Honor.

With groundbreaking scheduled for the summer of 2008, the National Law Enforcement Museum will be the largest and most comprehensive museum of its kind when it opens in 2011. The 90,000-square-foot, underground facility is being designed as a high-tech, interactive experience that will feature driving and use of force training simulators, a forensic lab and a 911 emergency call center. The Museum will be located in downtown Washington, DC, adjacent to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.

During its first year alone, the Museum is expected to bring more than half a million visitors to DC and generate $550,000 in new tax revenue for the city. Click here to learn more about the National Law Enforcement Museum and the A Matter of Honor Campaign.

*Click here for the Museum Media Pack.

About NOBLE

The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives was founded in September 1976, during a three-day symposium to address crime in urban low income communities. From a group of 60 founding members, NOBLE has grown to a nationwide organization representing law enforcement executives from coast to coast. NOBLE's mission is to ensure equity in the administration of justice and in the provision of public service to all communities, and to serve as the conscience of law enforcement by being committed to justice by action. Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, NOBLE is one of 15 national law enforcement organizations represented on the NLEOMF's Board of Directors. For more information, visit www.noblenational.org.



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Kevin Morison, 202.737.7134