HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Chief of Criminal Investigations, Frank Noonan, has received the Pennsylvania Narcotics Officers’ Association’s Linda E. Richardson Commitment to Excellence Award.
The Pennsylvania Narcotics Officers’ Association (PNOA) is a statewide organization dedicated to supporting the men and women who commit their careers to protecting Pennsylvania from the threat of illegal drugs by raising public awareness of the dangers of drug abuse, by providing enhanced training to narcotics officers, and by helping to create and implement drug demand reduction programs.
Joe Jacob, Chief of the Wright Township Police Department in Mountaintop, Luzerne County, and treasurer of the PNOA, said that the Linda E. Richardson Commitment to Excellence Award is not given out on a regular basis, but instead is reserved to recognize extraordinary people who show continued achievement in narcotics enforcement.
Jacob said that in order to be considered for this award, a candidate must stand out from the crowd and be an example of constant effort and success.
“The Linda E. Richardson Commitment to Excellence Award is the PNOA’s most prestigious award,” Jacob said. “Frank has devoted his career to narcotics enforcement and has shown an exemplary commitment to service.”
Noonan, 63, of Clarks Summit, Lackawanna County, began his career in 1971 as an FBI agent, investigating public corruption, drugs, bank robberies and kidnappings. Following his retirement from the FBI in 1998, he was appointed as Northeast Regional Director for the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation. After 11 years as Regional Director, Noonan was promoted to Chief of Criminal Investigations for the Office of Attorney General in July of 2009.
As regional director of the northeast region, Noonan oversaw some of the largest drug cases in the history of northeast Pennsylvania including; Operation Bonecrusher, a $2 million cocaine ring; Operation Smackdown, a multi-million dollar heroin ring; Operation Bad Rap, a multi-million dollar cocaine & marijuana ring; and Operation Heavyweight, two violent drug gangs operating in Wilkes-Barre.
“Frank Noonan’s public service has taken him to Vietnam, where he served as a combat officer with the U.S. Marine Corps and received a Bronze Star, to 27 years as an FBI agent, to his dedicated service with the Office of Attorney General,” Attorney General Tom Corbett said. “Frank’s unwavering dedication to law enforcement and his steadfast commitment to the safety of the citizens of Pennsylvania is just a small part of why he is a valuable asset to the Office of Attorney General and why I am pleased that he is being recognized with this award.”
Noonan is a graduate of West Chester University. He has been married for 41 years and has five adult children and eight grandchildren.
