One of the very first =
cases Edward=20
Jagen worked on as a police officer in Washington, =
D.C., was=20
the abduction of a 6-year-old girl.
He eventually found her naked, lifeless body on the =
rooftop=20
of an apartment building - and to this day, 38 years =
later,=20
the image still haunts him.
But it also continues to motivate him to stop child =
predators. Ever since he retired in 1985, the Kent =
Island=20
resident has devoted his life to the cause.
He formed the nonprofit Good Knight Child =
Empowerment=20
Network, operates a family safety museum in =
Beltsville, and=20
has written numerous publications on the subject.
"He is the most honorable man on the planet," said =
Sophia=20
West, founder of Mothers Against Predators and a =
longtime=20
volunteer with Mr. Jagen. "He just really stands out =
as=20
someone who cares. It's his passion. It's every breath =
he=20
takes."
Mr. Jagen's latest initiative is called the =
"SuperBook of=20
Family Safety," an 88-page booklet that covers not =
only how to=20
stop child predators, but also includes tips on =
Internet=20
safety, safety for senior citizens and how to stop=20
bullying.
His goal is to raise enough money to distribute the =
books=20
to Maryland schools and throughout the country. Mr. =
Jagen=20
wants parents to use the text as a starting point for =
safety=20
discussions with children of all ages.
"This book is full of common sense, but (that's) =
the most=20
uncommonly used thing in the world," the 58-year-old=20
grandfather said. "You have to change a consciousness. =
Adults=20
seem to think they know how to stay safe, and their =
kids fall=20
victim because adults don't know what to tell them. =
You don't=20
become a victim unless you don't know the approach =
(predators)=20
are going to use."
Mr. Jagen's efforts have garnered many awards over =
the=20
years, but perhaps the most prestigious came last week =
at a=20
ceremony in Washington, where he was given a Jefferson =
Award=20
for public service. Past recipients have included =
Ralph Nader,=20
Walter Cronkite, Ross Perot, Jimmy Carter and Oprah=20
Winfrey.
"I think what he does is exceptional," said Nancy =
Leonard,=20
chief administrative officer for the Delaware-based =
Jefferson=20
Awards. "Our board thought what he does for the safety =
of=20
children ... was worthy of the award. I was pretty =
impressed=20
with him."
Added Jefferson Awards president and co-founder Sam =
Beard,=20
"He's bold, he's imaginative, he's creative, and he's=20
passionate about protecting children."
For his part, Mr. Jagen said he was "very =
flattered" to get=20
the award, but said the real bonus was gaininganother =
platform=20
to publicize his foundation and his message.
"What we're trying to do is saturate the entire =
U.S.," he=20
explained. "We've gotten a false sense of security =
here that=20
police protect from harm - but they respond to crimes =
that=20
could have been prevented. ... My philosophy is lead, =
follow,=20
or get out of the way."
Serve and protect
Mr. Jagen has always been a protector and always =
wanted to=20
serve his community. He remembers helping other =
children fend=20
off bullies when he was in school.
But there's a more personal reason he continues to =
be=20
devoted to stopping predators: He was abused while =
growing up,=20
he said. It's yet another memory that drives him. "I =
remember=20
waiting for someone to rescue me, to be that knight in =
shining=20
armor," he said. "I became that knight in shining =
armor."
Mr. Jagen's "SuperBook" includes his "ABCs of =
Safety," 10=20
psychological deceptions used by predators and ways to =
foil=20
them; his four tips for conflict resolution; and a =
story=20
filled with knights and princesses that spreads his=20
message.
"My war is not so much with the predators as much =
as=20
ignorance itself," he said. "People tend to believe =
it's not=20
going to happen to them."
Predators, he said, look for two things: =
"vulnerability of=20
a target and opportunity to strike. Predators count on =
the=20
fact that you won't read (my) book."
Mary Cascio, a Crofton resident who has been =
volunteering=20
with Mr. Jagen's Good Knight Network since 1991, said =
there's=20
a lot of this kind of information available today, but =
it's=20
not always easy to find. His new book puts it all in =
one place=20
in a format that's accessible to a wide audience, she=20
explained.
"I just hope we can get the support we need (to get =
the=20
books out)," she said.
Although Mr. Jagen's wife, Linda, sometimes =
encourages him=20
to slow down, he has no plans to sit back and =
relax.
"(Predators) are very good at what they do," he =
said. "But=20
I'm even better. They don't take a day off, and =
neither do=20
I."
For more information about the "SuperBook of Family =
Safety"=20
or the Good Knight Empowerment Network, call =
301-595-8989 or=20
visit the Web site at http://www.goodknight.org/.
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