News From NCPC

Faye Warren Retires

Faye Warren, sometimes known as McGruff’s Mom, recently retired from the National Crime Prevention Council after 25 years of dedicated service. She was the guest of honor at a retirement luncheon attended by family, friends, and colleagues.

NCPC President and CEO Al Lenhardt paid tribute to Faye and thanked her for all she has done on behalf of crime prevention over these last 25 years: “Faye, thank you for your commitment to the National Crime Prevention Council, for your commitment to our beloved icon, McGruff the Crime Dog, and for your dedicated service over the years. You have many friends and colleagues who admire you greatly, and with good cause. Your work with the Coalition, on the Conference Team, and with the [Trademark Control and Quality Review Committee], among the many other roles you have performed in the agency, have been nothing short of stellar. I have been honored to work with you and learn from you, Faye.”

Faye’s work in crime prevention began as a volunteer with the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) in the area of child abuse prevention.  She joined GFWC staff as director of its U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance-funded program Hand Up. In that position she represented GFWC as one of 19 agencies that served as advisors in the creation of the McGruff Campaign in 1978.

Nineteen agencies formed the Crime Prevention Coalition, today known as the Crime Prevention Coalition of America. Faye helped the Coalition grow over the years to include a host of state and national organizations.  

She was a pioneer in the crime prevention movement, pushing for training for law enforcement officers and other community folks. Faye and her colleagues worked to keep McGruff relevant to changing times.

Through Faye’s stewardship and dogged determination, McGruff has met with presidents, thrown out the first pitch at baseball games, stood on the steps of the Capitol, and been recognized by the U.S. Postal Service with his very own stamp. Today more than 4,000 law enforcement officers portray McGruff all across the country.

At the luncheon Faye was presented with several special gifts including an engraved crystal ice bucket, framed original McGruff artwork, a framed letter and photo from President George W. Bush, a framed letter from Senator Orin Hatch, a flag that had been flown over the Capitol in her honor, books on antiques, and several gift cards.

Faye had this to say about NCPC and her experience in the world of crime prevention. “I want to thank NCPC. It has been a fantastic and educational journey. Many McGruff supporters and crime prevention pioneers took the journey with me to create the crime prevention foundation, now available for those who will accept the future challenges.  Out of all the rewarding experiences, I am still inspired by the dedication and commitment of law enforcement officers who strive to make our communities safer. You are unique, and I am so lucky to have worked and learned from you. I am humbled by all of your congratulatory messages and remembrances. However, the greatest reward for me will be keeping McGruff alive for the children of America. My thanks for your friendship and caring, please keep in touch and be safe out there!”

NCPC will sorely miss Faye. We wish her all the best in her retirement.

Check Out NCPC’s Website!

A visit to one website, ncpc.org, now links you to three formerly independent sites—www.weprevent.org, nationaltcc.org, and ncpc.org. McGruff.org, NCPC’s website for children, maintains its own identity at mcgruff.org and continues to link directly from the NCPC homepage.

The redesigned website focuses on keeping you connected to the latest developments at NCPC and in crime prevention. The majority of the homepage is dedicated to this task and is divided into “NCPC News” and “Crime Prevention News,” both of which are updated daily. The latest issue of Catalyst appears in “NCPC News.”  The left-hand column helps you navigate to a variety of destinations including the CPCA page.

The right-hand column lists NCPC’s current campaigns. Click on a campaign, and you are connected with all of NCPC’s resources for that campaign, which may include PSAs, publications, newspaper mat features, and press releases.

The redesign makes it easier for you to access NCPC’s programs and resources. Across the top of the site, the clean attractive layout highlights the types of resources NCPC offers (publications, programs, training, newsroom, and McGruff). You can also access resources by topic from the homepage. Fifteen topics are currently offered:

• Personal safety
  
• Home and neighborhood safety
  
• Technology
  
• School safety
  
• Bullying
  
• Conflict resolution
  
• Violence
  
• Fraud
  
• Work safety
  
• Hate/bias
  
• Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs
  
• Preparedness
  
• Volunteering
  
• Neighborhood Watch

The “Programs” link connects to each of NCPC’s current initiatives.

You can also access information by audience: NCPC offers resources for kids, teens, parents, seniors, and law enforcement officers. Clicking on the “Kids” link will take you to McGruff.org’s Milstein Child Safety Center, NCPC’s popular children’s website.  McGruff.org offers games, stories, and advice from McGruff for children on topics such as bullying, strangers, and Internet safety. Children can watch a webisode, navigate through a maze, and read a comic book, all while learning safety tips.

The “Teens” section shows young people how to protect themselves from dangers they may face, such as dating violence and cyberbullying, and provides ways they can get involved to make their communities safer.

NCPC also offers resources specifically designed for parents, seniors, and law enforcement. For example, click on “Parents” and you’ll find information on what parents can do to ensure that their children are safe when home alone and how they can be a positive role model to help their children resist using alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

To return to the homepage from any interior page, click on “the dog” in the NCPC logo, which is usually found in the left-hand corner of the page.

We hope you will find the website easy to use. If you can’t find what you are looking for or have a comment, please email us at webmaster@ncpc.org.

McGruff.org Wins National Webby Award Honor!

We’re happy to announce that McGruff.org, NCPC’s children’s website, has been selected as an official honoree in the annual Webby Awards. Called the “Oscars of the Internet” by the New York Times, Webby Awards are the leading international awards honoring excellence in web design, creativity, usability, and functionality. Visit McGruff.org to see why it’s a winner!