The U.S. Department of Justice’s annual commemoration of National Missing Children’s Day was held May 19, 2004, at DOJ’s Hall of Justice in Washington, DC. Attorney General John Ashcroft, Assistant Attorney General Deborah J. Daniels, and OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores were among the dignitaries who participated in the event.

This year’s ceremony recognized the extraordinary efforts of police officers, private citizens, and corporations on behalf of missing children. Attorney General Ashcroft presented Officer of the Year Awards to Postal Inspector Steven Sadowitz, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Indianapolis, IN, and Senior Special Agent Perry Woo, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Fairfax, VA, in recognition of an investigation that resulted in the dismantling of a child sex tourism and prostitution ring in Mexico. Other law enforcement officers receiving recognition included the following:

2004 National Missing Children’s Law Enforcement Award winners: Officer Elizabeth M. Butler, Manlius (NY) Police Department; Sergeant Richard Woolley, Onondaga County (NY) Sheriff’s Office; Special Agent Colleen Maher, Office of Inspector General; Captain Lyndon Parrish, Cass County (MI) Sheriff’s Office; Special Agent Roy Johnson, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joan E. Meyer, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western Michigan.

2004 National Exploited Children’s Law Enforcement Award winners: Detective James E. Smith, Connecticut State Police; Postal Inspector Martin Vega, Jr., U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Special Agent Supervisor Jeffrey Mackanin, accepting on behalf of the California Department of Justice; Special Agent Reginald K. Ogata, accepting on behalf of the FBI; Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel White, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern California; Postal Inspector Steven Sadowitz, U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Senior Special Agent Perry Woo, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The ceremony also featured remarks from Ed Smart, a missing children’s advocate whose daughter Elizabeth was abducted and safely recovered. Elizabeth Smart received the National Courage Award. Assistant Attorney General Daniels, who is the AMBER Alert National Coordinator, presented the first-ever AMBER Alert Citizen Award to Al Joy and Jason Roden for their role in the recovery of three children abducted by a suspected murderer. The AMBER and Missing Children’s Media Award went to John Walsh on behalf of the television program America’s Most Wanted. Ms. Daniels also presented a special plaque to Ernie Allen, President of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), in recognition of NCMEC’s 20th anniversary. Mr. Allen, joined by Mr. Walsh, presented the Corporate and Volunteer Awards.

Families of missing children were among the guests at the ceremony. Other guests included representatives of child advocacy organizations, federal agencies, and corporate programs to recover missing children.

The ceremony closed with presentation of the 2004 National Missing Children’s Day Art Contest award to Harris Elizabeth Fyfe of Memphis, TN, and songs from members of the Bells of Love, a children’s musical group from Syracuse, NY.

OJJDP News @ a Glance	May/June 2004 Volume III Number 3