Justice and Law Enforcement Medal Recipients

This medal recognizes a federal employee for a significant contribution to the nation in activities related to justice and law enforcement (including civil rights, criminal justice, counterterrorism, and fraud detection and prevention) and is accompanied by a $3,000 award.

Dr. John S. Morgan and the President's DNA Initiative Team—2007 Recipient

Position: Deputy Director for Science and Technology

Agency: National Institute of Justice

Location: Washington, D.C.

Achievement: Created program that has helped solve thousands of cold cases and dramatically expanded the capacity of local law enforcement to utilize DNA evidence.

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W. Martin Harrell—2006 Recipient

Position: Associate Regional Counsel for Criminal Enforcement/Special Assistant United States Attorney

Agency: Environmental Protection Agency

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Achievement: Successfully prosecuted case involving illegal storage and transportation of hazardous waste in the United States and the export of 300 tons of hazardous waste and other chemicals from Pennsylvania to the Netherlands.

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Elizabeth Grossman—2005 Recipient

Position: Acting Regional Attorney

Agency: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Location: New York, New York

Achievement: Secured EEOC’s second largest sexual discrimination settlement ever in landmark case against Morgan Stanley.

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Operation Kids For Cover Team led by Peter Darling—2004 Recipient

Position: Senior Special Agent

Agency: Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Achievement: Shut down a massive conspiracy in which rented babies and women couriers were used to smuggle cocaine in baby formula cans. 

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Buffalo Joint Terrorism Task Force
led by Edward J. Needham—2003 Recipient

Position: Special Agent

Agency: Joint Terrorism Task Force, U.S. Department of Justice

Location: Buffalo, New York

Achievement: The 22-member Buffalo Joint Terrorism Task Force—led by Special Agent Edward Needham—took the lead in bringing a potential Al Qaeda “sleeper cell” to justice before they could unleash an act of terror on American soil.

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Robert Rutherford—2002 Recipient

Position: Criminal Investigator/Group Supervisor

Agency: U.S. Customs Service

Location: Miami, Florida

Achievement: His initiative, leadership and ability to organize multi-agency personnel into a cohesive unit led to a reduction in narcotics trafficking and crime in South Florida.

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