NAPO SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR FIFTH ANNUAL TOP COPS AWARDS®
DEADLINE MAY 15, 1998

 
WASHINGTON, DC  -  The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) is accepting nominations for the Fifth Annual TOP COPS Awards®, a dinner ceremony taking place on October 8, 1998, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC.  The largest and oldest national ceremony of its kind recognizing federal, state and local officers from across the country, the TOP COPS Awards® honor officers for outstanding service to their communities during the preceding year.
 TOP COPS® are nominated by fellow officers and are selected from hundreds of nominations by an independent Awards Committee.  One winner from each state, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories is chosen and from among those selections, ten are singled out to receive the TOP COPS Award® while the remaining are presented Honorable Mention Awards.
 In October 1994, NAPO held its First Annual TOP COPS Awards® ceremony with special guest President Clinton and Master of Ceremonies John Walsh, host of “America’s Most Wanted.”  The 1995 and 1996 Awards included keynote speaker Vice President Gore and Masters of Ceremony, Lynne Russell of CNN’s “Headline News” and Richard Belzer of NBC’s “Homicide:  Life on the Street.”  Lynne Russell and Richard Belzer returned to emcee the 1997 TOP COPS Awards® as well.
-more-
 
 “It is so important to NAPO that law enforcement officers get the positive attention in the national media that they truly deserve,” said Robert T. Scully, NAPO’s executive director.  “It had always been a priority of NAPO to set up a program such as the TOP COPS Awards® that would recognize law enforcement officers for their selfless acts of courage,” continued Scully.
 Law enforcement officers may nominate their peers who they believe made an extra effort to fight crime and protect the public between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 1997 by submitting a summary of the incident limited to 500 words and supporting documents such as newspaper articles and police reports (if any).  Regrettably, supporting documents cannot be returned.  The following information must be supplied about the nominee and the nominating officer:  title, full name, department, precinct address, work phone, home phone and fax.  Nominations should be sent to NAPO, 750 First Street, NE, Suite 920, Washington, DC 20002.  The deadline for nominations for the Fifth Annual TOP COPS Awards® is May 15, 1998.
 Proceeds from the event benefit the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Rights Center, the Police Research and Education Project (PREP), NAPO’s 501 (c)(3) educational organization, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and the Concerns of Police Survivors.

The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) is a coalition of police unions and associations from across the United States that serves to advance the interests of America’s law enforcement officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education.  Founded in 1978, NAPO now represents more than 4,000 police unions and associations, over 200,000 sworn law enforcement officers, 3,000 retired officers and more than 100,000 citizens who share a common dedication to fair and effective crime control and law enforcement.

###
For more information, please contact Jody Hedeman (202) 842-3560.