Washington, DC – Peter J. Elliott, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio, was presented with the TOP COP award by the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) at a ceremony at the Warner Theater in Washington, DC, on Saturday, May 12. Before a full house, Elliott unexpectedly handed his award to Grace Leon, the widow of a slain Cleveland patrolman whose tragic death during a fugitive pursuit led to the creation of the Fugitive Safe Surrender concept. Elliott was being honored for helping the U.S. Marshals Service launch the innovative program. Safe Surrender offers fugitives a chance to surrender at local faith- and community-based organizations.

An emotional Grace Leon, widow of Patrolman Wayne Leon, accepted the trophy in honor of her husband. Also on stage were celebrities Richard Belzer of NBC’s Law and Order, and John Walsh, host of television’s America’s Most Wanted.

Over the past two years, Fugitive Safe Surrender projects were hosted in Cleveland, Phoenix, and Indianapolis. U.S. Marshals worked with pastors and other community leaders to help nearly 3,000 individuals surrender safely, and deal with their outstanding warrants. Elliott’s efforts also were lauded by U.S. Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones in last Friday’s Congressional Record. “It is because of his commitment and remarkable innovation in law enforcement that I wish to acknowledge “Top Cop” Marshal Peter J. Elliott,” said the Congresswoman. “Marshal Elliott is an outstanding man who has greatly contributed to the safety of his district and the country.”

“For each fugitive who peacefully and voluntarily surrenders, law enforcement officers and citizens face one less dangerous confrontation on the streets,” said Elliott. He credited U.S. Marshals Director John F. Clark’s efforts to fund the program and make it part of the agency’s Adam Walsh Act operations aimed at protecting children from sexual predators.

TOP COPS Awards pay tribute to law enforcement officers for outstanding service to their communities. Nominations come from rank-and-file police officers, and selections are made from among hundreds of candidates. Twenty officers from the top 10 cases of 2007 were chosen this year. NAPO, a national law enforcement group, represents 238,000 sworn law enforcement officers from 2,000 police associations and units across the country.