June 5, 2007

For 20 years, Dan Morphet served and protected as a member of the Monroe County (NY) Sheriff's Office, but his service to his community and country didn't stop upon his retirement in 1991. Today, Mr. Morphet has found a way to use his love of golf to give back to law enforcement by helping to build the first-ever National Law Enforcement Museum.

Mr. Morphet has pledged $300,000 over five years through the newly renamed National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Golf Classic. This year's Golf Classic is scheduled to take place Nov. 4-9 in Myrtle Beach, S.C., with all proceeds going to the D.C.-based National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Mr. Morphet said his experience as a member of his department's honor guard gave him the idea to put together a golf tournament as a way to bring officers from all over America together to unite in their support for law enforcement and for one another.

"I attended many funerals of officers killed in the line of duty throughout the state of New York," Mr. Morphet said. "Instead of us getting together for training, funerals and disasters, why not get together for a good time and support a great cause?"

During the tournament's first year in 1999, 88 golfers attended; most of them traveled from nearby states, Mr. Morphet said. One of those first-year participants was Sam Cabral, a member of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) Board of Directors and President of the International Union of Police Associations/AFL-CIO. Mr. Cabral helped promote the tournament among his members, and his organization is now the title sponsor of the tournament.

Last year, the event attracted more than 1,100, with golfers traveling from as far away as California and 150 from Canada. With their support, Mr. Morphet raised $87,000 for the NLEOMF in 2006, bringing the seven-year donation to more than $250,000. Now, Mr. Morphet has pledged an additional $300,000 over five years, with the donation going to the $80 million campaign, called A Matter of Honor, to build the National Law Enforcement Museum.

"Dan and his wife Cindy have been great supporters of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund for many years," said Craig W. Floyd, chairman and CEO of the NLEOMF. "We are very pleased and fortunate that they have agreed to extend our partnership in support of the National Law Enforcement Museum."

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 in downtown Washington, D.C., adjacent to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Designed by architect Davis Buckley, the 90,000 square-foot, underground facility will be a high-tech, interactive experience featuring training simulators, a forensic lab and a 911 emergency call center.

To Mr. Morphet, the importance of the Museum is that it will give the American people a chance to better understand and appreciate the sacrifice and dedication of their law enforcement officers.

"I think the Museum will show the different changes in law enforcement over the years and will give the general public a better picture of the life of an everyday cop — someone who works weekends, holidays, spends little time with his or her family, yet serves the public from day to day without getting any special attention," Mr. Morphet said.

For more information about the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Golf Classic, including registration forms for this year's tournament, please visit www.nleomgc.com.


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MEDIA CONTACTS:
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
Kevin Morison
202.737.7134
kevin@nleomf.org