[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 175 (Monday, December 8, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2483]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       IN MEMORY OF JACK KERRIGAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MARK E. SOUDER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 8, 2003

  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today 
to announce the passing of John ``Jack'' Kerrigan, long time narcotic 
officer and one of the founding members of the Northern California 
HIDTA. Jack died December 1, 2003 in San Francisco, following a brief 
battle with cancer. His leadership has inspired many law enforcement 
officers and lawmakers to continue the fight against illegal drugs. He 
will be deeply missed by the law enforcement community and it is an 
honor to remember him today.
  Jack joined the San Francisco Police Department in 1949. During his 
distinguished thirty-two year career, he served in many capacities but 
the majority of his career was spent in the narcotic bureau. in 1955, 
the San Francisco Police Department formed the first municipal police 
narcotics unit in the nation and Jack was selected as one of its 
investigators. Jack remained in that assignment as a Patrolman, 
Assistant Inspector, Sergeant, and Inspector until 1969, when he was 
promoted to Lieutenant of Police. Jack returned as the Unit Commander 
from 1970 to 1976 where he led the department's drug enforcement 
efforts including the investigation of many large drug trafficking 
organizations.
  Because of his long tenure in narcotic enforcement, Jack was 
recognized as one of the nation's leading experts on drug abuse and 
narcotic enforcement. He was a founding member of the California 
Narcotic Officer's Association (CNOA) and served as that organization's 
second President in 1966. With Jack's leadership, CNOA grew from two 
hundred members to more than seven thousand statewide. It is now 
recognized as the premier law enforcement training association in the 
country. Jack continued to serve on CNOA's Executive Board until the 
time of his death and rarely missed a board meeting. Jack was present 
at CNOA's recent conference in Sacramento, where he received a standing 
ovation from the conference's two thousand attendees when the 
President's award was renamed, ``The Jack Kerrigan Award'', in honor of 
Jack's commitment to CNOA and the law enforcement profession. Jack had 
been presented the President's Award in 1999 by then CNOA President 
Christy McCampbell.
  In 1994, Jack was a founding member of the National Narcotic 
Officers' Associations' Coalition (NNOAC), which represents forty state 
narcotic officers' associations and more than sixty thousand police 
officers from around the country. Because of his expertise in drug 
enforcement, Jack was frequently called upon to represent CNOA and the 
NNOAC in Washington, D.C. with members of Congress, the Administration, 
and Federal law enforcement agencies. During the September 11, 2001, 
emergency, Jack traveled to Washington where he met with senior 
administration officials and members of Congress to discuss the nexus 
between drug trafficking and terrorism. During that trip Jack was 
exposed to anthrax in the Hart Senate Office Building.

  During Jack's law enforcement career, he was selected for many 
special assignments and projects. In 1966, he was the first San 
Francisco Police Officer to attend the FBI's National Academy in 
Washington, D.C. He was also selected by the U.S. Department of 
Justice, in the fall of 1974, to travel to England to work with 
London's famed Scotland Yard for three months.
  Following his retirement in 1981, Jack went to work for the 
California Department of Justice as a Regional Coordinator for the 
Western States Information Network (WSIN), a multi-state information 
sharing and assistance unit serving law enforcement throughout the 
West. Jack worked for WSIN until his death, giving him the distinction 
of serving in law enforcement for more than 54 years. In that job, Jack 
worked with narcotic officers and senior law enforcement officials 
throughout his region, which stretched from San Luis Obispo to the 
Oregon border.
  Jack was also an educator with both California and Idaho teaching 
credentials. He served on the faculty of San Francisco City College in 
the Department of Criminology from 1966 to 1981. He was also a guest 
lecturer at the University of Idaho, University of California Medical 
School, Santa Clara University, and the University of San Francisco. 
Jack was the author of several articles published in the FBI's Law 
Enforcement Journal, the CNOA magazine, and other professional 
publications.
  Jack was married to his high school sweetheart, the former Elaine 
Taylor, for 49 years. Together they had five children, John F. Kerrigan 
III M.D. and his wife Jackie, Lawrence Kerrigan, Patricia Von Koss and 
her husband Eben, Paul Kerrigan, and James Kerrigan, a Special Agent 
Supervisor with the California Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement and his 
wife Catherine. Jack and Elaine also shared the love of their eleven 
grandchildren.
  Jack will be remembered as a loving husband, dedicated family man, 
courageous police and naval officer, proud San Franciscan, pioneer in 
narcotic enforcement, and a patriot who loved is country.