Theis medal commemorates the life of J. Edgar Hoover, the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. At Hoover's death, he was a highly respected individual, becoming a large crime-fighting force, and under Hoover's lead developed innovations such as centralized fingerprint files and forensic laboratories. Near the end of his life, and after his death, it was revealed how powerful Hoover and his FBI was, often using illegal means to exceed their jurisdiction.