FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 21, 1998
CONTACT:  JODY HEDEMAN (202) 842-3560

NAPO HONORS 1998 CONGRESSIONAL AWARDS WINNERS, ALSO PRESENTS ANNUAL DONATION TO NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MEMORIAL FUND

WASHINGTON, DC  -  The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) ended its 1998 Legal Rights and Legislative Seminar in Washington, DC with its annual presentation of NAPO’s Congressional Awards.  This years’ honorees included Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT), Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Senator Carol Moseley-Braun (D-IL), Representative Bill Archer (R-TX), Representative Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Representative Henry Hyde (R-IL), Representative Rob Portman (R-OH), Representative Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), Administrator Thomas A. Constantine, Drug Enforcement Administration, Director Eduardo Gonzalez, United States Marshals Service, and Director John W. Magaw, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Congressional honorees were chosen for their dedication and commitment to legislative issues affecting law enforcement on a wide variety of issues including everything from co-sponsorship of the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights to the member’s efforts to include provisions critical to law enforcement in the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997.

Administrator Thomas A. Constantine, Drug Enforcement Administration, Director Eduardo Gonzalez, United States Marshals Service, and Director John W. Magaw, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were recognized for their participation and support of NAPO’s TOP COPS Awards? program.

NAPO also presented Craig Floyd, Chairman of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund with its annual donation.  This year NAPO was proud to contribute $6,000.

“NAPO is proud to help maintain the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial,” said Robert T. Scully, NAPO’s Executive Director.  “NAPO worked for the successful passage of the legislation for the Memorial and served on the site selection and inscription committees.  Throughout the years, it has remained one of our top priorities.  NAPO, through its members, has raised over $1,000,000 for the Memorial,” continued Scully.

NAPO’s 1998 Legal Rights and Legislative Seminar in Washington, DC took place April 18-21, 1998, at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill.  Distinguished police, labor and constitutional attorneys, union negotiators and government officials participated.

Topics discussed during the seminar included U.S. Supreme Court cases of interest to law enforcement officers, proven collective bargaining techniques during contract negotiations, the impact of the Lautenberg Amendment on officers convicted of domestic violence and a dramatic role play asserting the rights of law enforcement officers during investigations, “When the Shooting Is Over...Everything You Wanted to Know About How to Help Cops Stay Out of Trouble”.

Other topics included recent cases involving First Amendment protected activities of officers, an update on the Americans with Disabilities Act and its implications for officers, current Family and Medical Leave Act issues, sexual harassment in the workplace and other current legislative and legal issues of interest to officers.  NAPO members also made congressional visits to their members of Congress while in Washington.

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, 250,000 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.
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