Blacks in Law Enforcement of America

03/13/2026

Badge & Barrier Breakers: The Black Women Who Paved the Way in Westchester Law Enforcement. https://blackwestchester.com/badge-barrier-breakers-the-black-women-who-paved-the-way-in-westchester-law-enforcement/ via Black Westchester Magazine

Black women have played a vital role in shaping law enforcement across Westchester County, often breaking barriers in institutions that historically excluded

03/03/2026

Facts.

02/22/2026

Many people have called Black law enforcement officers sellouts and c***s. I’ve heard it for 33 years.

Yes, there are officers who must be held accountable — absolutely. Accountability protects the badge and the community. No excuses there.

But let’s be honest. Some of the same people calling Black officers “working for the man” go to work every day for corporations that market poison to our neighborhoods, push destructive culture for profit, exploit Black consumers, exploit Black women, and promote an ungodly culture that has influenced many of our Black youth to end up in custody. They cash those checks without hesitation — but somehow the Black officer trying to protect his community is the sellout?

That’s not logic. That’s emotion.

And even more troubling — in parts of our culture, the drug dealer and the pimp get celebrated as heroes. The man flooding the block with drugs gets respect. The man exploiting women gets admiration. The hustler gets glorified in music and on social media.

But the Black man who puts on a uniform and tries to keep children safe? He’s the c**n?

We have to be honest about the contradictions.

For many of us, the badge wasn’t about betrayal — it was about protection.

In my 33 years in law enforcement, I’ve mentored and fathered three generations of Black young men who didn’t have guidance. I’ve stood as an example to Black women whose lives have been shattered by sexual abuse — by men and by women. I’ve de-escalated situations that could have ended in tragedy. I’ve used discretion when it mattered most.

And yes — I’ve also seen too many Black men and women inside the jails. I’ve talked to them. I’ve listened to their stories. I’ve tried to reach them before the system swallowed them whole.

That doesn’t make me perfect. It makes me present.

We can demand accountability without erasing the Black men and women who serve with integrity — even while confronting the painful realities within our own community.

Some of us didn’t join to police our people.
We joined to protect them.

And that deserves honesty — not slogans.

In this video is what you don’t see.
What the protest profiteers don’t want you to see.

02/17/2026

02/12/2026

Most people in Westchester have driven past the Norwood E. Jackson Correctional Center.
But many don’t know why his name is there.
Before conversations about diversity, representation, and firsts became common in government, there was a man who proved something far more important — competence earns respect. Norwood E. Jackson didn’t just hold a position. He demonstrated that a Black man could lead one of the county’s most difficult public safety institutions with discipline, faith, integrity, and authority.
For those of us who worked under that era, his leadership changed how we saw the job, ourselves, and what was possible. He expected excellence from officers and expected the men housed there to leave better than they came in. He didn’t just manage a system — he set a standard.
This piece isn’t about nostalgia.
It’s about understanding why some names are placed on buildings — and why they stay there.

01/29/2026

Press Conference in Support of Officer Derek A. Williams

Law enforcement leaders, retired officers, and community advocates gathered in Mount Vernon for a press conference in support of Officer Derek A. Williams, a 19-year veteran of the Mount Vernon Police Department who is fighting for his life — and for the line-of-duty protections guaranteed under New York law.

Officer Williams contracted COVID-19 in March 2020 while serving on the front lines during the pandemic. His illness later progressed into end-stage kidney failure, requiring dialysis seven days a week. Despite state and federal protections for first responders, the City of Mount Vernon has not formally adjudicated his case under General Municipal Law §207-c, a statute that provides full salary and medical benefits for officers injured or made ill in the line of duty.

At this press conference, speakers addressed:
• The City’s failure to conduct a required §207-c hearing
• The denial of light-duty accommodation
• The lack of FMLA notification and job protection
• The risk of Officer Williams losing life-sustaining healthcare
• Broader concerns about unequal application of officer protections

Damon K. Jones, New York Representative of Blacks in Law Enforcement of America (BLEA), outlined the legal and procedural failures detailed in a formal letter to the Mount Vernon City Council.
Mike Hannon, retired White Plains police officer and BLEA Westchester County Representative, raised concerns about long-standing disparities in how §207-c is applied, stating that it “was never a problem until Black officers tried to utilize it.”

Active and retired law enforcement officers from across New York State stood in solidarity with Officer Williams, warning that this case has implications far beyond Mount Vernon and could impact how first responders are treated statewide after COVID-related injuries.

This press conference is a call for accountability, equal application of the law, and immediate action to protect a public servant whose life depends on continued medical care.

📣 This is not politics. This is about the law — and a man’s life.

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01/27/2026

MVPD Officer Derek Williams contracted COVID-19 while serving the City of Mount Vernon during the pandemic. Medical complications from that infection progressed into kidney failure, requiring ongoing dialysis and significantly impairing his ability to work.
Rather than being protected as a line-of-duty illness case, Officer Williams has faced administrative resistance, prolonged delays, and now the threat of termination—a move that would jeopardize the pension and benefits he earned through years of service.
This case raises serious questions about:
• How COVID-related duty illnesses are being treated
• Whether existing protections for injured officers are being properly applied
• And whether the city is meeting its legal and moral obligations to a public servant in medical crisis
The community is rallying not just for Officer Williams, but to stop a precedent where public servants are discarded once they become costly.
This is not a political issue.
It is a test of fairness, accountability, and leadership in Mount Vernon.

01/27/2026

Officer Derek Williams contracted COVID-19 in the line of duty.
That illness led to kidney failure.
Now, while fighting for his life on dialysis, the City of Mount Vernon is moving to terminate his employment—instead of protecting the pension and benefits he earned through service.
This is not a gray area.
COVID-related organ damage is medically documented.
Public servants injured in the line of duty are supposed to be protected—not discarded.
Mount Vernon is a Black city.
Derek Williams is a Black officer who served it.
And today, the system is failing him.
The community is rallying because this case sets a dangerous precedent:
If this can happen to him, it can happen to any city worker.
▶️ Watch. Share. Show up.

We break down:• Why this case matters beyond one officer• What the upcoming rally represents for Mount Vernon• How duty-related illness is being handled by t...

10/23/2025

Blacks in Law Enforcement of America proudly endorses Ken Jenkins for Westchester County Executive!
Ken Jenkins has been a consistent partner to law enforcement and the communities we serve — promoting accountability, equal opportunity, and safer neighborhoods for all.
✅ Supports strong community–police partnerships
✅ Advocates for fairness, training, and mental health response
✅ Believes in equal opportunity across all levels of county government
Leadership with integrity matters — and Ken Jenkins delivers it.

04/16/2025

Where is the Outrage When a Black Child Dies? https://blackwestchester.com/where-is-the-outrage-when-a-black-child-dies/ via Black Westchester Magazine

A 16-year-old boy named Sincere Jazmin was gunned down in broad daylight in Queens. Shot in the chest after stepping off a school bus. He collapsed

04/01/2025

This Day In Black History: Thomas P. Brook Became First Black Officer in Yonkers PD, April 1, 1925 https://blackwestchester.com/thomas-p-brook-became-first-black-officer-in-yonkers-pd-april-1-1925/ via Black Westchester Magazine

Today, 100 years ago, Wednesday, April 1, 1925, the Yonkers Police Department appointed its first Black Officer, Thomas P. Brooks. He was the first