The National Law Enforcement Museum at the Motorola Solutions Foundation Building officially opened its doors to the public last week, welcoming thousands to both a ribbon-cutting ceremony and community day celebrating the Museum’s grand opening — a feat 20 years in the making.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony — held on Thursday, October 11, 2018 — drew hundreds of attendees from across the country representing current and retired members of law enforcement and their families, members of the community and general public, as well as dignitaries and celebrities.
Remarks were kicked off by renowned actor Clint Eastwood who has served as the honorary chairman of the fundraising campaign for the Museum since its inception.
“Long before I was telling people to get off my lawn, I was telling them to go ahead and make my day,” Eastwood said. “I won’t say either of those things today, I just want to say how much I appreciate being involved with the [National Law Enforcement Museum] and police officers in general. I’ve been lucky enough to portray them, lucky enough to make a living portraying them and I’m glad to be here.”
Also delivering remarks at the ceremony, were National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund founding CEO Craig Floyd and Museum Executive Director David Brant; former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft; U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein; Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser; U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke; Motorola Solutions Chairman and CEO Greg Brown; and Retired Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, who discussed changes in law enforcement over his more than 50-year career, as well as the importance of engaging the community.
“Policing has gone through triumphs, we’ve gone through tragedies, we’ve gone through controversy–you name it, our profession has gone through it, and that continues today,” said Ramsey. “I really see police as more of a thread that is woven throughout the communities we serve–a thread that actually helps hold together the fabric of democracy,” continued Ramsey. “We are no longer just expected to respond to calls for service, we’re expected to deal with mental health issues, we’re expected to deal with the opioid crisis, we’re expected to deal with immigration issues, we’re supposed to build trust and legitimacy in some of our more challenged neighborhoods that, in some cases, never trusted police and, in some cases, for very good reasons.”
Ramsey concluded by sharing some advice for visitors and law enforcement: “When you go into the Museum, I ask that you look beyond the artifacts that are in the Museum. Look beyond some of the displays and interactive videos […] and think about the people that serve. Think about the period of time in which they served. I want you to think about why it is so important that, as a profession, we don’t act as if we can do it all by ourselves.”
As part of the Museum’s commitment to improving the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve, the Museum will also launch an ongoing series of programs and events later this month that address timely topics–like immigration, opioids, and community relations–as well as programs that discuss law enforcement in pop culture, interviews with law enforcement leaders, and educational workshops and activities for children of all ages.”
“Law enforcement has played a pivotal role in shaping our everyday lives and our nation’s history,” said Rebecca Looney, Senior Director of Exhibits & Programs. “We’re excited for visitors to explore the role and history of law enforcement and to experience first-hand what the work of law enforcement entails, while serving as a platform for much-needed conversations for the sake and safety of our communities and law enforcement professionals.”
“We are honored to be part of this historic occasion – opening a Museum that tells the story of U.S. law enforcement,” said Greg Brown, chairman and CEO, Motorola Solutions. “As the leading provider of mission-critical communications and video solutions for public safety users, our support for the Museum is rooted in our belief that the story of law enforcement – the story of our customers – needs to be told. We are proud to support the Museum’s efforts to bring to life the full scope of law enforcement.”