The National Law Enforcement Museum Co-Hosts the Washington, DC Premiere of Clint Eastwood's New Film J. Edgar at the Newseum

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Tuesday evening, November 8, the National Law Enforcement Museum joined with Warner Bros. Pictures to debut legendary director Clint Eastwood's biopic, J. Edgar, at the Newseum in Washington, DC. Mr. Eastwood, Honorary Chairman of the National Law Enforcement Museum and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, joined special guests and dignitaries at the red carpet event, to promote J. Edgar, which examines the compelling life of the first FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover, portrayed by actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

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"Law enforcement is a very underrated profession — so many have given so much. The dangers are always there and we're thankful for the people who keep us safe.  Embracing the idea of shooting a film about J. Edgar Hoover was quite an interesting project because he was such an interesting man and there's always been a lot of discussion around him," Mr. Eastwood said in his remarks before the premiere of the film.

The National Law Enforcement Museum is the official repository of Mr. Hoover's collection of personal effects and select artifacts from the extensive collection were on display during the movie premiere. Guests were given a first-hand glimpse of such items as Director Hoover's desk and desk accessories; original photographs from his childhood, as well as his years as FBI Director; and handwritten notes from his days as a law student at George Washington University.

The National Law Enforcement Museum will include the J. Edgar Hoover Research Center, made possible through a generous donation from the J. Edgar Hoover Foundation. The Foundation also donated more than 5,000 items from Director Hoover's estate, including his office desk, chair and telephone, presentation items, awards, photographs, correspondence, books, recordings of his speeches, and numerous other items that relate to his personal and professional life, including his tenure as director of the FBI from 1924 to 1972.

"Many Americans probably do not know that it was Mr. Hoover who required FBI agents to advise criminal suspects of their constitutional rights prior to arrest —15 years before the Supreme Court required Miranda warnings. He also instituted many other innovations including a centralized fingerprint file, forensics laboratories, a national compilation of crime statistics, and the FBI National Academy to increase effectiveness of state and local law enforcement," Mr. Floyd stated as he addressed the audience before the film.

The state-of-the-art National Law Enforcement Museum will be located in the Judiciary Square neighborhood in the District of Columbia, adjacent to the existing National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Scheduled to open in late 2013, the Museum will tell the story of American law enforcement. The Museum will be a place for visitors of all ages to learn about policing in America.

About the National Law Enforcement Museum

Authorized by Congress in the year 2000, the 55,000 square-foot National Law Enforcement Museum will be a mostly underground museum, located adjacent to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC's Judiciary Square. The Museum will tell the story of American law enforcement through high-tech, interactive exhibits, collections, research and education. Museum construction has commenced with a projected opening in late 2013. The Museum is an initiative of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, a private non-profit [501(c)(3)] organization established in 1984 and dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of America's law enforcement officers and to promoting officer safety. For more information about the National Law Enforcement Museum, visit www.LawEnforcementMuseum.org.

Contact: Steve Groeninger
(202) 737-7135 | [email protected]

SOURCE National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund