Joseph McMillan
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First giving honor to God almighty, I am truly humbled and honored to stand before you this evening. As many of you know, I always state that were it not but for God’s grace and mercy, I would not be here today. It has only been because of his mercy that I am capable of being used as a vessel. Before I share a few thoughts with you this evening, there are several acknowledgements that I would like to make. First, many of you have met my wife, Stephanie. We have been married for one- year last week and I sincerely thank God and her for her love and support. Through the many challenges, she has been my confidant and I am grateful. In addition, I am truly honored, to have my daughters Tinisha and Valencia present this evening, to share in this joyous occasion. As many of you have heard me say, I am extremely proud of both of them and elated they could be here this evening. Unfortunately, due to her illness, my mother is unable to share in this event. However, she is always with me in spirit and I thank God almighty for continuing to sustain her through her illness. I would also like to acknowledge my god mother, ms. Nancy Bratcher, my mother in law, Ms. Victoria Watts, my best friend and his wife, Mr. Oneal and Mrs. Michelle Meney along with a dear friend, Dr.’s Michael and Beverly Smith. Further, I would like to thank my pastor, Elder Gregory Johnson, and his wife Betty. Finally, to a man that needs no introduction to anyone in NOBLE, my long time mentor, Mr. Hubert Bell, who has been there every step of the way since I joined NOBLE. Hubert as many of you know has been a rock for our organization and continuously encouraged me to take on increased organizational leadership positions. My sincere thanks to each of you for the various roles you have played in my personal, spiritual and professional development. Finally, to each of you, the NOBLE national office staff and members of our great organization, my sincere thanks for your support and belief that I was worthy to lead our organization.
I promise not to be before you long, however, there are a few thoughts related to our organization that I would like to provide for your reflection. For a few minutes, go with me on a journey. Back to where we began as we strive to move forward.
"Cowardice asks the question, is it safe? Expediency asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? But conscience asks the question, is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him that it is right." What powerful words spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Simple, yet extraordinary in many ways. Such was truly the case in 1976, when
60 brave individuals such as Hubert Williams, Adkins Warren, Sterling Johnson, Lloyd Sealy, Fred Rice, Gwynne Peirson, Mitchell Ware, Robert Lamb, Lee P. Brown, William Bracey, Charles Gittens, Larry Bolden, George Napper, Burtell Jefferson, Julius Guillory, and many others took the bold steps necessary to create our organization. Their desire was a simple one. To create an organization that was capable of speaking out in a unified way on law enforcement issues affecting our communities. NOBLE’s founders recognized they occupied a unique position in history. Circumstances afforded them the visibility, and command presence, to address relevant matters. Whether the issues related to excessive force in the black community, racial intolerance in promotions and hiring, or the inability of police departments, to be more reflective of the communities they served. These pioneers were unified on the need to create an organization whereby their collective voices could be heard.
Here we are today, 32 years later and I submit that while we have made great strides, there is still much work to be done. In 1976 there were few police departments headed by African Americans. Today, NOBLE’s rolls reflect approximately 259 African American chiefs of police, sheriffs, directors of public safety, and special agents in charge, leading municipal, state, and federal law enforcement departments and offices.
I believe that some in our ranks today would say, "We have arrived and have no need to reflect on the past." However, circumstances require us to ask, have we truly arrived? Yes, when we review income levels of today’s executives in comparison to our founders, we are more affluent and have far more resources. Today we lead a variety of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. In some cases, we even occupy the corner offices on the highest floor in the private sector. Nevertheless, with all these strides, have we leveraged our accomplishments, as our founders would have expected? Personally, I believe that despite the actual gains that have been made, something has been lost. Something has been lost because collectively we failed to keep our eyes on their vision and goals. For a moment, let us go back to where we began as we strive to move forward
Crime was rampant in the 1970’s and African American communities were bearing the brunt of disparate enforcement and hostile conditions. Inequitable treatment in hiring and promoting qualified law enforcement personnel, illicit drug trafficking, and gang violence created an environment that pressed our founders to challenge the status-quo. These brave individuals became beacons of light for those who followed in their steps, as they took on a myriad of challenges. Despite their relative small size in numbers, they were dedicated to addressing issues, which others would rather allow to disappear on the landscape of life. Dedicated and focused these giants knew what it took to develop and advance an organizational agenda that made a difference. While on occasions they may have disagreed with one another, they were never disagreeable.
Let us go back to where we began as we strive to move forward.
Today, much like our founders, we are confronted with developing strategies that must address a myriad of challenges. To meet these we must continually ask ourselves, whether, we have been relevant to issues affecting our profession. Further, have we attracted members capable of advancing NOBLE’s, not personal agendas? I submit NOBLE’s unique voice and thoughts must be heard, and we must be actively involved in shaping the debate related to effective law enforcement strategies to address critical issues.
Let us go back to where we began as we strive to move forward.
For a brief moment let me highlight a few of the areas that I feel require NOBLE’s continued and increased involvement during the coming year.
This year, we have made great strides with respects to our focus on juvenile violence issues. We will continue researching viable solutions and strategies that reduce these offenses in our communities. For as one of our members has stated the KKK that some previously feared; has evolved into an even more destructive force. This KKK relates to kids killing kids. We have both a professional and moral responsibility to use our energy in finding viable solutions, NOBLE’s efforts this past year in researching this issue would not have been successful were it not for the generous corporate financing we received from Wal-Mart. I challenge other corporate partners to work with us as we continue research in this area. We must work collaboratively with all segments of the community as we combat this burgeoning problem.
Let us go back to where we began as we strive to move forward.
Secondly, in far too many communities, domestic violence has had a debilitating affect on some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Victims often have not felt that law enforcement personnel or the criminal justice community has taken their concerns seriously. Ask yourself, why is it that a victim has to be injured, and/or killed before the proverbial "system" gets involved? Victims must be educated regarding the full range of options available to prevent and interdict such criminal behavior. As an organization, NOBLE has and will stand shoulder to shoulder with victims and corporate partners such as Verizon wireless to deliver the message that there are alternatives, and victims do not have to stay in abusive relationships.
Let us go back to where we began as we strive to move forward.
Thirdly, NOBLE will aggressively move forward to aide in shaping the national debate on identifying appropriate law enforcement strategies to managing offender re-entry into our communities.
The growing numbers of offenders released to communities, is directly linked to increased enforcement prosecutions, during the past 20 years. These individuals have begun to return to areas that are significantly different, both economically, and demographically from the eras when they were originally incarcerated. We have an obligation, much like our founders, to be that voice in our communities to ensure fairness in the delivery of law enforcement services and implementing viable approaches to this issue.
Let us go back to where we began as we strive to move forward.
Finally, much like our founders, we must take a critical look at the increasing excessive use of force by some in our profession. Much like cancer, we must identify, expose and eradicate systemic conditions that support these activities. There is no room in our profession for tolerance of those that self identify themselves as both judge and jury. We are a country of laws, and that separates us from anarchy. Law enforcement personnel who engage in this type of behavior are criminals, and NOBLE has an obligation to speak out when such situations present themselves. Let us go back to where we began as we strive to move forward.
To get us moving in the right direction, I am asking each region to host forums within their respective areas on how responsible law enforcement executives can meet these various challenges.
Our recently formulated law enforcement steering committee will have an integral role in this area. Further, I am asking Chief Wanda Dunham, committee chair, to work collaboratively with Regional Vice Presidents on these critical issues.
There is a saying that many are called, but few are chosen. I submit this is the approach we must employ as we identify and recruit members into our organization. NOBLE’s work must be accomplished by those capable of advancing the goals and objectives proscribed by our founders as well as the leadership of this great organization. There is zero room for freelancing or those predisposed to go their own way. There is too much at stake and too much work to be done. If NOBLE is to remain a relevant and viable force in the area of identifying contemporary strategies that meet today’s challenges, we must have the right people with the right skills at the table. In addition, as executives, we have a greater need to ensure we are bringing along those behind us to fill our ranks as we pass the torch. If we are not actively engaged in mentoring those who are clamoring and seeking out our guidance, we are not meeting one of our core responsibilities.
Our retirees are crucial to NOBLE’s success. Only with their active engagement can we succeed. We must do a better job at integrating them into our overall strategic approach.
As I close, I encourage you to look within and answer for yourself a simple, but basic question. Am I willing to put my time, energy, and resources into advancing the goals of NOBLE, or am I in it solely for myself? If your answer is the latter, I encourage you to recalibrate your perspective and join us as this great organizational train continues to move forward. Yes, we have overcome many challenges and made great strides. However, as I have stated, there is still a significant amount of work to accomplish. Through the collaborative engagement of NOBLE’s membership along with our corporate partners and friends, we will be successful. I am in it all the way, what about you? Thank you, and may God forever bless and keep you safe within his care as you go about protecting and serving the citizens of this great country.
