SERGEANT MICHAEL DEVINENew York City Police Department Michael Devine is a sergeant in the New York City Police Department’s Detective Bureau. He’s been with the NYPD for over twelve years, but has been singing for over twenty. A classically-trained tenor, he has performed at Madison Square Garden, Lincoln Center, The Rainbow Room and the NLEOMF’s Candlelight Vigil. Mike is a third-generation law enforcement officer and proudly serves in memory of his father, Special Agent Thomas Devine of the Drug Enforcement Administration, who gave his life in the line of duty on September 25, 1982.

REVEREND KATE BRAESTRUP Maine Department of Inland Fisheries The daughter of a foreign correspondent, Kate Braestrup spent her childhood in Algiers, New York City, Paris, Bangkok, Washington, DC and Sabillasville, Maryland. She married James Andrew “Drew” Griffith in 1985. Shortly after the birth of their first child in 1986, Grififith joined the Maine State Police, and the family moved to midcoast Maine.

Educated at the Parsons School of Design/The New School and Georgetown University, Braestrup originally thought of herself primarily as a writer. She had published a novel, Onion, in 1990, after all, and occasional essays in national publications. More children arrived, but she expected to be able to continue combining motherhood and the writing of fiction and non-fiction for the foreseeable future.

Trooper Griffith was killed in a car accident while on duty in 1996. Kate Braestrup was left a widowed mother of four children between the ages of 3 and 9. Life would not and could not ever be the same as it had been.

As it happened, Drew Griffith had spent the last year of his life thinking about, researching and finally committing himself to becoming a Unitarian Universalist minister, a plan that was naturally discussed extensively with his wife. In this way, unwittingly, he had prepared the way for Kate Braestrup to recognize and develop her own vocation. She entered the Bangor Theological Seminary in 1997, and was ordained in 2004. Since 2001, she has served as chaplain to the Maine Warden Service, joining the wardens as they search the wild lands and fresh waters of Maine for those who have lost their way, and offering comfort to those who wait for the ones they love to be rescued, or for their bodies to be recovered.

In 2006, Braestrup married the artist, Simon van der Ven. Between them, van der Ven and Braestrup have a total of six children, all whom are now sauntering, tiptoeing or being pushed up to and across the threshold of adulthood.

As an ordained minister, Braestrup performs weddings, and advises individuals and couples on “how to enter into, be content within, or extract themselves from the married state.” It is out of these experiences, coupled with her own, that Braestrup has written Marriage and Other Acts of Charity. With Braestrup’s characteristic honesty, good humor and poignancy, it is a memoir that explores the challenging spiritual terrain of our most intimate and important human relationships.

901 E STREET, NW SUITE 100 WASHINGTON, DC 20004-2025 WWW.LAWMEMORIAL.ORG 202.737.3400 FAX 202.737.3405 INFO@NLEOMF.ORG

Biographies

Taken from: http://www.katebraestrup.com/

CRAIG W. FLOYDChairman & CEO, National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Craig W. Floyd is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), a nonprofit organization established in 1984 to honor the service and sacrifice of America’s law enforcement officers.

Over the past 25 years, he has been one of law enforcement’s leading advocates--delivering speeches, hosting radio shows, publishing books, writing articles and conducting media interviews. His work as a Congressional aide, journalist and nonprofit leader has been widely credited with changing America’s attitude toward the law enforcement profession and saving officers’ lives.

Mr. Floyd helped form the Memorial Fund and has served from the outset as the organization’s chief executive officer. Under his leadership, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial was built and dedicated in October 1991. Today, that monument stands proudly in our Nation’s Capital as a richly deserved tribute to America’s peace officers. More than 18,600 fallen law enforcement officers have their names inscribed on that Memorial, dating back to the first documented fatality in 1792.

Most recently, Mr. Floyd and his organization were successful in obtaining Congressional approval of a public law to authorize the establishment of a National Law Enforcement Museum on federal land adjacent to the Memorial. Mr. Floyd is now leading the effort to build that Museum, which will be the largest and most comprehensive institution of its kind in the world. The Museum is expected to open in 2013.

As NLEOMF Chairman, Mr. Floyd has also spearheaded a number of other important projects to honor our nation’s law enforcement officers. They include enactment of a federal law authorizing all American flags to be flown at half-staff on “Peace Officers Memorial Day” (May 15); publication of the book, To Serve and Protect: A Tribute to American Law Enforcement; and enactment of a federal law authorizing 500,000 commemorative silver dollars to be issued by the U.S. Mint honoring the service and sacrifice of America’s law enforcement officers and their families.

Prior to his work with the Memorial Fund, Mr. Floyd served for 10 years (1978-1988) as Legislative Assistant for U.S. Representative Mario Biaggi (Ret.) of New York, a New York City police legend, and the founder of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Mr. Floyd holds a bachelor’s degree from The George Washington University in Washington, DC. He resides in Alexandria, VA, with his wife, Veronica.

LINDA MOON GREGORY National President, Concerns of Police Survivors

C.O.P.S. National President position is held by Linda Moon Gregory of Germantown, TN. Linda is a surviving sibling of Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer James Moon, EOW 9/27/71. Linda has served on the board as secretary and Chapter President of the West Tennessee C.O.P.S. for 6 years. She is married to John who is also active in C.O.P.S. and she has two sons.

901 E STREET, NW SUITE 100 WASHINGTON, DC 20004-2025 WWW.LAWMEMORIAL.ORG 202.737.3400 FAX 202.737.3405 INFO@NLEOMF.ORG

Biographies

Taken from: http://www.nationalcops.org/

HARRY PHILLIPSExecutive Director, Police Unity Tour

Harry Phillips is a retired Detective and Sergeant from the West Orange (NJ) Police Department and currently serves as Executive Director of the Police Unity Tour.

In May 1997 the Police Unity Tour was organized by Officer Patrick P. Montuore of the Florham Park, NJ Police Department, with the hope of bringing public awareness of Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty and to honor their sacrifices. In 1997, eighteen riders on a four day fund-raising bicycle ride from Florham Park, NJ to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C. raised $18,000.00. This past May 2010, over 1200 members nationwide made the trip and donated over $1.325 million to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund bringing their total donations to nearly $8.4 million.

In late 2005, the Police Unity Tour pledged $5 million in support of the National Law Enforcement Museum. Inspired by their commitment and motto, “WE RIDE FOR THOSE WHO DIED” the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has selected the Police Unity Tour to be the sponsor of the Museum’s Hall of Remembrance.

Having completed the $5 million commitment to the Museum in 2009, the Police Unity Tour dedicated the 2010 ride to the restoration of the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. The $1.1 million restoration project includes the re-engraving, coating and sealing of the 18,983 names on the Memorial as well as the cleaning of the walls and other Memorial improvements.

OFFICER TOMMY GRIFFITHSBoston Police Department William & Marguerite Griffiths had four sons; Sherman, Brian, Billy and Tom.

In 1959, William Griffiths died, leaving his widow and four sons; the oldest was seven and the baby, Tom, was 2 at the time of William’s death.

Marguerite Griffiths subsequently married Leo Coyne, a bachelor with no children. Together they had Kevin, Dennis and Jimmy.

Sherman Griffiths joined the Boston Police Department in 1980 and was killed in the line-of-duty on February 18, 1988. His brother Billy, who had joined the Boston Police Department Officer in 1986, was on duty the night Sherman was killed and heard the reports over the radio.

In 1993, after having dealt with the loss of Sherman, three of the remaining brothers joined the Boston Police Department. Tom left his position as the Chief of Construction for the City of Boston, Kevin left his position as a Milton, MA Firefighter, and Jimmy left his position as a liquor salesman. In 1994, Brian, left his position as a Bank Manager to join the Boston Police Department.

One brother, Dennis, did not become a police officer.

Today, four of the brothers, Brian, Tom, Kevin & Jimmy remain on the force with the Boston Police Department. In 2007, Billy received a 100% medical disability from the Boston Police Department after suffering a serious back injury while on duty.

901 E STREET, NW SUITE 100 WASHINGTON, DC 20004-2025 WWW.LAWMEMORIAL.ORG 202.737.3400 FAX 202.737.3405 INFO@NLEOMF.ORG

Biographies

Taken from: http://www.fppd.net/

ERIC HOLDER. JR. Attorney General of the United States

Eric H. Holder, Jr. was sworn in as the 82nd Attorney General of the United States on February 3, 2009 by Vice President Joe Biden. President Barack Obama announced his intention to nominate Mr. Holder on December 1, 2008.

In 1997, Mr. Holder was named by President Clinton to be the Deputy Attorney General, the first African-American named to that post. Prior to that he served as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. In 1988, Mr. Holder was nominated by President Reagan to become an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

Mr. Holder, a native of New York City, attended public schools there, graduating from Stuyvesant High School where he earned a Regents Scholarship. He attended Columbia College, majored in American History, and graduated in 1973. He graduated from Columbia Law School in 1976.

While in law school, he clerked at the N.A.A.C.P. Legal Defense Fund and the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. Upon graduating, he moved to Washington and joined the Department of Justice as part of the Attorney General’s Honors Program. He was assigned to the newly formed Public Integrity Section in 1976 and was tasked to investigate and prosecute official corruption on the local, state and federal levels.

Prior to becoming Attorney General, Mr. Holder was a litigation partner at Covington & Burling LLP in Washington.

Mr. Holder lives in Washington with his wife, Dr. Sharon Malone, a physician, and their three children.

901 E STREET, NW SUITE 100 WASHINGTON, DC 20004-2025 WWW.LAWMEMORIAL.ORG 202.737.3400 FAX 202.737.3405 INFO@NLEOMF.ORG

Biographies

Taken from: http://www.justice.gov/