The Women in Federal Law Enforcement organization named National Park Service Special Agent Susan Morton as its 2006 Outstanding Federal Law Enforcement Employee. The organization honored Morton at its banquet in Washington, D.C., on June 21, 2006. She is the first NPS employee to receive this prestigious award.

Morton was recognized for her work in preventing illegal drugs and immigrants from entering the United States through public lands. These lands encompass 56 percent of the border between Arizona and Mexico.

Morton works for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Interagency Narcotics Office in Tucson — one of the most active areas of drug flow into the country.

To stop this illegal activity, Morton works with other agents from federal, state and tribal law enforcement agencies. Last year she was the case agent on 11 felony narcotics cases, involving 56 defendants and more than 4,600 pounds of seized narcotics.

She was also the NPS case agent for the successful prosecution of the accomplice in the ambush-murder of NPS Park Ranger Chris Eggle, which occurred at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on Aug. 9, 2002.

She worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to change “backpacker” smuggling cases from misdemeanor to felony charges. This change results in more severe penalties with longer jail sentences followed by deportation of illegal immigrants after time served.

Morton is a 22-year employee of the National Park Service. Immediately following the events of Sept. 11, 2001, she served two details to the newly established Office of Law Enforcement and Security, working on border threats and security issues.

Larry Parkinson, Interior’s deputy assistant secretary for Law Enforcement and Security, congratulated Morton on her award. He said that she is “an inspiration to the 4,000 men and women who serve in the law enforcement at Department of the Interior.”

Women in Federal Law Enforcement is a nonprofit organization formed for the purpose of recruiting, training, and advancing women in the field of federal law enforcement.