Page 6 - Volume 28 Number 3

National Law Enforcement Museum set for grand opening this fall
the long awaited National Law Enforcement Museum at the Motorola Solutions Foundation Building is gearing up for their grand opening October 13, 2018, and the interactive, high- tech museum is sure to impress.
Visitors will have a unique look at the profession through interac- tive “walk in the shoes” experiences of law enforcement officers, connecting them to past, present and future American law enforce- ment.
The 57,000-square-foot mostly underground museum is located next to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial at Wash- ington D.C.’s Judiciary Square metro station, just blocks from the National Mall and numerous DC landmarks. The project began when President Clinton signed a bill into law Nov. 9, 2000 authorizing plan- ning for the museum on federal land. Ten years later, officials broke ground and by 2013, design plans were approved, building permits were ready, and the District of Columbia gave authority for municipal bonds to be issued. Construction officially began in 2016.
Hands-on exhibits like Take the Case show visitors critical thinking and forensic science skills used by law enforcement to find evidence, analyze clues, and solve the case. To Serve and Protect provides an eye-opening look at key police initiatives that go far beyond everyday responsibilities of officers. 911 Emergency Ops allows visitors to experience some of law enforcement’s most stressful situations as an emergency dispatcher and the Training Simulator allows people to experience what it’s like for officers to make split-second life-or- death decisions.
One of the primary goals of the museum is to enrich the relation- ship between law enforcement and the community through educa-
tional journeys, immersive exhibitions, and insightful programs. Teaching through real-life experience is accomplished in the Officers’ Stories exhibit, which features some of the most memorable stories about life on the job, told by the officers themselves. No two days on the job are the same. Being an Officer exhibit allows visitors to explore “everyday” activities and the highly specialized work of K-9, SWAT, Bomb Squad, and Undercover and Surveillance units. Reel to Real compares the Hollywood version of police work to reality.
The Museum has curated a collection of more than 21,000 arti- facts depicting law enforcement officers, historic events and pop culture, which will be on rotation in the Museum, which also includes a theater, classroom and café.
Guided and self-guided tours, group tour discounts and planning services are available. Resources such as activity carts, educator guides and lesson plans are available to exercise math, science, engineering and technology (STEM) skills and help students make the most of their visit. The Museum even offers a Forensic Workshop where students ages 11 to 14 can learn to decipher evidence from DNA and fingerprints to fiber matching and ballistics. The Museum education staff can tailor these workshops to individual groups (both students and adults). There are also several forensic summer camps and traveling forensics workshops, which can be hosted at schools and virtual field trips broadcast from Washington DC to classrooms and homes.
Grand Opening events are being planned, including Run for the Badge 5K on Oct. 13, 2018. d
For more information, visit https://lawenforcementmuseum.org/, call 202-737-3400 or email info@lawenforcementmuseum.org
The Police Officers Journal
Rendering courtesy of National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
6 • Summer 2018