THE TOP COPS AWARDS^®

Since NAPO launched the awards program in 1994, the TOP COPS Awards® have paid tribute to outstanding law enforcement officers across the country for actions above and beyond the call of duty.  TOP COPS® awardees are nominated by their fellow officers for outstanding service during the preceding calendar year.

 The TOP COPS® are selected by an Awards Selection Committee comprised of national law enforcement representatives who choose one TOP COPS® case from each state and U.S. territory.  The cases are then ranked and the top ten case winners are flown to Washington, DC for the awards ceremony.  The awards show features a three-minute videotape of each TOP COP® and his or her story.

 The TOP COPS AwardsÒ are attended by celebrities, politicians, members of the national law enforcement community, corporate donors and other interested individuals.  Here is just a short list of attendees we’ve been honored to have throughout the years:

 President Bill Clinton

Vice President Al Gore

Beach, Michael-NBC’s Third Watch

Bell, Coby-NBC’s Third Watch

Belzer, Richard-NBC’s Law & Order:  Special Victims Unit [emcee 1995-2000]

Cannavale, Bobby-NBC’s Third Watch

Casserly, Charley-former General Manager, Washington Redskins

Constantine, Thomas-former Administrator, Drug Enforcement Administration

Coyne,William-U.S. Representative (D-PA)

Feinstein, Dianne-U.S. Senator (D-CA)

Florek, Dann-NBC’s Law & Order:  Special Victims Unit

Gail, Max-Barney Miller

Gallagher, Dermot-Ireland’s Former Ambassador to the US

Gonzalez, Eduardo-former Director, U.S. Marshals Service

Hargitay, Mariska-NBC’s Law & Order:  Special Victims Unit

Hurd, Michelle-NBC’s Law & Order:  Special Victims Unit

Johnson, Jim-Under Secretary for Law Enforcement, U.S. Treasury

Kelly, Ray-Commissioner, U.S. Customs Service

Kotto, Yaphet-NBC’s Homicide:  Life on the Street

Magaw, John- former Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

Marinaro, Ed-NBC’s Hill Street Blues

Martinez, Matthew G.-U.S. Representative (D-CA)

McCaffrey, Barry-General, Office of National Drug Control Policy

Meloni, Christopher-NBC’s Law & Order:  Special Victims Unit

Merkerson, S. Epatha-NBC’s Law & Order

Oberstar, James-U.S. Representative (D-MN)

Orbach, Jerry-NBC’s Law & Order

Price, Molly-NBC’s Third Watch

Ramstad, Jim-U.S. Representative (R-MN)

Raver, Kim-NBC’s Third Watch

Reed, Jack-U.S. Senator (D-RI)

Ruivivar, Anthony-NBC’s Third Watch

Russell, Lynne-CNN’s Headline News [emcee 1995-2000]

Sessions, William-Former FBI Director

Sudduth, Skipp-NBC’s Third Watch

Walsh, John-Host of FOX’s America’s Most Wanted [emcee 94]

Wiles, Jason-NBC’s Third Watch

Williams, Willie-Former Los Angeles Police Chief

  On Saturday, August 5, 2000, the prestigious event was co-hosted by Masters of Ceremony Richard Belzer of NBC’s Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and Lynne Russell, a Fulton County, GA Reserve Deputy Sheriff and the anchor of CNN Headline News. 

Celebrity presenters included: Michael Beach, Coby Bell, Bobby Cannavale, Anthony Ruivivar and Skipp Sudduth of NBC’s “Third Watch;” S. Epatha Merkerson and Jerry Orbach of NBC’s “Law & Order;” Dann Florek, Mariska Hargitay, Michelle Hurd, and Christopher Meloni of NBC’s “Law & Order:  Special Victims Unit;” Ed Marinaro of NBC’s “Hill Street Blues;” and Yaphet Kotto of NBC’s “Homicide:  Life on the Street.”  NAPO was honored to have Attorney General Janet Reno join us to present the Honorable Mention awards.

Lynne Russell, the primtime weekday evening anchor on CNN's Headline News presents an award at NAPO's Sixth Anual TOP COPS Awards, October 22, 1999. Ms. Russell is also a licensed, working private investigator, and a Fulton County, GA, Reserve Deputy Sheriff.

More on TOP COPS Awards^® Nomination Form

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