The American Police Hall of Fame and Museum in Titusville, Florida, was the first of its kind in the U.S. when it began in 1960. Today, in newer premises, learn about law enforcement while you honor police officers and dogs that have fallen in the line of duty. Visit the memorial dedicated to remembering over 9,000 officers in a country where a law enforcer is killed every 57 hours.
Become knowledgeable about how to defend yourself with a gun by enrolling in a class taught by certified trainers in the museum’s state-of-the–art shooting center. Rent or purchase firearms from the on-site store. Practice your aim at the indoor firing range.
The museum has about 11,000 exhibits and displays that catalog law enforcement aids used by authorities throughout the country’s history. Many exhibits are interactive.
Vehicles used by varied police forces are also on display, including a futuristic car developed for the movie Blade Runner. View displays on how crime scenes are analyzed and the role forensics plays in investigations. Be put in a prison cell to get your photo taken and see exhibits of an electric chair and gas chamber.
Let your child become a make-believe police officer by dressing up as one. Children can also pretend to be detectives in an interactive lab. Take home badges they make as mementos of their brief police careers.
The facility is also active in providing support to law enforcement families who have been victims of crime. Such support assists families who have lost a parent by providing scholarships, birthday and holiday gifts and summer camp funds. Ask questions of police officers, who are often present as volunteers.
Find the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum in the city’s southern area. Admission is charged, with a special rate for children, senior citizens and law enforcement officers. Family survivors of fallen police offers are not required to pay. The facility is open daily.