Craig W. Floyd, 52, of Alexandria, is the chairman and chief executive officer of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
Where are you from?
I am a Washington, D.C., native. Born in D.C. and grew up in Silver Spring. Graduated from George Washington University. Upon graduating in 1978, I served 10 years as a legislative assistant to U.S. Rep. Mario Biaggi, a New York City police legend.
Where did the idea for the memorial come from?
In the 1970s, a group of law enforcement officers from New York approached Rep. Biaggi about building a National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Rep. Biaggi spearheaded the initiative in Congress. The law authorizing the memorial was signed by President Reagan in 1984.
What does the memorial fund do?
Our core purpose is to increase support for the law enforcement profession by commemorating and recording the service and sacrifice of America’s law officers.
What are some of its biggest accomplishments?
We built and dedicated the memorial in 1991. It bears the names of more than 18,000 federal, state and local officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice, dating back to the first line-of-duty death in 1792. … Sadly, an officer is killed somewhere in America every 53 hours, so new names must be added each year. We are now involved in another historic initiative — building the first-ever National Law Enforcement Museum, which is scheduled to open in 2011.
What will the museum be like?
The museum will be a high-tech, interactive experience allowing visitors to walk in the shoes of a law officer. There will be a shoot/don’t shoot judgmental training simulator, a forensic science lab and a 911 emergency call center. … The hall of remembrance will tell the inspirational stories behind officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
