Prince George's Suite Magazine Commemorative Edition Sheriff Melvin High

A Great View Of Prince George’s County, Maryland A

SALUTE TO SHERIFF MELVIN HIGH

Consultants & Support Barbara Frazier, Mildred B. Dennis, Ysabel Garcia de Lopez and Eugenia Hopkins Editor Ad Infinitum Ed Brown

Prince George’s Suite is a lifestyle magazine. It’s currently direct mailed to the homes and busi nesses of high income residents, business and civic leaders as well as arts, culture, development and entertainment managers in and around Prince George’s County. Subscribe via e mail: subscribe@pgsuite.com. The Suite is at select locations listed at www.pgsuite.com. PGS Magazine readers are:

Homeowners within the county (30% are also working on investment homes).

Top and middle managers of local, regional and federal offices and departments with a minimum of 10 employees in their charge.

Leaders Nearly 75% of Prince George’s Suite’s direct mail list consists of county business, community and civic leaders They are key voices in shaping the direc tion of Prince George’s County.

Reaching B eyond T he Cou nty: T he Suite is also now direct mailed to specific leaders in the District, Nor ther n Virginia and Baltimore. Outside the metropolitan re gion, it’s shared via direct mail with specific industr y leaders in travel, tourism, enter tainment, reloca t i o n a n d d eve l o p m e n t i n A t l a n t a , G A , Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD., Philadelphia, PA , and New York, N Y T his is done in an effor t to introduce more business and travel decision makers to the living and travel oppor tunities in Prince George’s County.

MD

High Command High Command

Veteran Sheriff Melvin C, High Opened Doors And Approaches To Police Work

By D.A. Phillips

This article first appeared in Prince George’s Suite Magazine entitled “Natural High” // Spring 2016

It was, pardon the pun, the wild, wild west. In 1965, six days of rioting in Watts, an impoverished African American Los Angeles neighborhood, sparked by strained tensions between the citizens in the community and police, led to more than $40 million in proper ty damage. Long simmering anger between black residents and an abusive, mostly white police force led to similar unrest in Detroit in 1967.

When Martin Luther King Jr. was assas sinated in April 1968, a week of civil unrest swept across the country with the biggest riots taking place in Chicago, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. It was into this climate that Melvin High, now sheriff in Prince George’s County, Md., began his career in law enforcement. From 1969 until 1993, High was a member of Washington,

D C ’ s Metropolitan Police Department

“We kept each other’s counsel,” High says of being a young African American officer at that time He explains that he and other black officers stood between the frustrations in the community and racial challenges within the department.

A Question Of Balance

Overall, High’s approach to policing and life are about balance.

“My family helped me begin on the road to self discipline,” he says “The military helped me to perfect it I share with them my view of how you must be a self disciplined person especially if you have had pain in your life you can ’ t let drive you to the wrong place.”

Soft spoken and even keeled, High always saw the job through more analyti cal lens. “You have to get beyond the numbers. Every crime that I see lets me know there is a victim in that situation.

You burrow down to the humanity of issues and that drives your passion for

the work that you do,” he says He tends to partake in community events and par ticipates in social support networks “We also have to show people that peo ple don’t have to be fearful of us, ” he explains

A Different Kind of Policing

For Melvin High, it has always been about service but it wasn ’ t always police work He wanted to be a teacher, he says “For a while I did have an oppor tunity to be teacher But I went into the military I went to war and then I saw a different phase I knew I could make a difference in my community and coun try to change the direction of law enforcement.”

But the drive to educate, develop new direction stayed with him making the veteran more than a beat cop building toward a pension.

Preceding his ser vice as Sherif f in Prince George’s, High ser ved as the

appointed Chief of Police of Prince George’s County. He led the de par t ment in ensuring the safety of the residents of the county ’ s 23 cities and towns.

During his time in D.C. law enforce ment, High was responsible for crime prevention; criminal investigations; and the safe management of annual parades, festivals, demonstrations and protests in the nation’s capital. He implemented the city’s first community policing initiative.

High also introduced crime prevention strategies such as CRO (Community Resource Officers), SRO (School Resource Officers), Police Cadets, mobile office programs, and the expan sion of tactical crime prevention efforts. He received a mayoral citation for com manding the successful investigation and apprehension of a serial killer known as the “shotgun bandit”, who terrorized

the District for three months in 1993.

High took his crime fighting philosophy to Norfolk, Virginia, where he was chief of police for 10 years and saw crime reduction in that city in each year of his administration except 1995.

A Leader Among Law Enforcement

When High joined the D.C. police force, there weren ’ t a lot of faces that

police department.”

Kim C. Dine, who met High when he joined the third district right out of training school, counts the sheriff as instrumental in his now 40 year policing career, too.

“Right from the start he was a mentor and role model due to his knowledge, comportment, dedication and commit ment, ” says Dine, who recently retired as chief of the U S Capitol Police “I was fortunate to have him as one of my many role models who enabled me as well [as to help me] rise up through the ranks.”

The Challenges of The Present Shape Vision for The Future

looked like his Though few in num ber, the black officers helped each other. That support helped his officers, both black and white. Leonard Cooke, a Washington, D.C., police officer in the ’70s, says he owes part of his success to High. “My first inter action with him was

when he was a captain in the third dis trict, one of the first African American captains in the third district. That was a breath of fresh air cause he took an interest in a lot of the officers and I was one of them,” Cooke says. “He really stood out. He was steady, knowledge able. He wasn ’ t faking in the way that he carried himself. When you asked him a question, he would give you thorough and thoughtful deliberate answers. He started to mentor a number of people that stood out that he could teach. He would stress getting education and studying for promotions within the

The recent wave of police violence around the country isn’t off putting to the veteran professional “Police violence is something that we have seen before,” he says “In the ’60s and late ’70s, it was actions that were handed down in terms of what we do in our communities. Then it was from the top down. Now, it’s more from the bottom, up. We are in a better place than we were in the ’60s and ’70s.”

“While we are having some turbulence in policing around the country in this moment, I don’t want our community to lose sight of how critical policing is. We have to overcome this gulf between police and citizens.”

To that end, the sheriff wants to intro duce more children to 21st century law enforcement. “I knew I could make a difference in my community and coun try by helping to change the direction of law enforcement when I came onto the force. I believe that I can fix things,” he says. “I teach that to the kids at schools, too. I want to expand our middle school program with our young people. I want to make sure that they see law enforce ment as a great career option.”

Alsobrooks: Join Us In Prayer, Salute

Sheriff

By Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks

We are extremely sad dened to hear of the passing of Sheriff Melvin High. Sheriff High has been a dedicat ed public servant to the residents of Prince George’s for nearly 20 years & will be remem bered for his service to our community & com mitment to the safety of Prince Georgians. He served as our Sheriff for nearly 12 years and has

worked tirelessly to ensure the safety and well being of indi viduals and families throughout our community during his tenure.

Sheriff High was especially involved in effor ts to fight domestic violence in our commu nity, launching the annual Purple Light Nights Program in October during his tenure. We are asking Prince Georgians to join us in praying for Sheriff High’s family, including his wife, Brenda, and his daughter, Tracy, as they navigate this very difficult time.

High worked tirelessly to ensure the safety and well being of individuals and families throughout our community

A Leader’s Leader

Passing of Prince George's County

By Prince George’s County Council Chair Calvin Hawkins

T he entire Prince George's County Council was shocked and saddened to lear n of the passing of Prince George’s County Sherif f Melvin C. High. Our thoughts and prayers are for Sherif f High’s entire family at this most dif ficult time, especially his beloved wife Brenda, and their daugh ter, Trac y.

We also extend condolences to the more than 300 de puties and civilians Sherif f High had responsibility for leading , managing and commanding to protect and ser ve the citizens of Prince George’s County. We have all lost a leader, colleague and dear

friend. Preceding his ser vice as Sherif f, Melvin High ser ved as the appointed Chief of Police for Prince George’s County, leading the nation’s 32nd largest local Law Enforcement Agenc y in the deliver y of basic law enforcement ser vices to a Metropolitan County of nearly 900,000 residents and ser ving as a principal advisor on public safety. A devoted public ser vant, Sherif f High has been recognized as the con summate law enforcement and crimi nal justice professional. He ser ved and protected a g rateful constituenc y and while his passing leaves an immense void in the lives of his fami ly, colleagues, friends, and Prince Georgians, the impact of his life’s

Condolences

High

Upon The

work will endure for generations to come.

Council Chair Calvin S. Hawkins, II Shares Council

Sheriff Melvin C.

Sheriff Melvin High:

Exemplary

Statement on the Passing of Sheriff Melvin High From Prince George ’ s County State ’ s Attorney

By Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha N. Braveboy

I am saddened to hear of the sudden passing of our beloved Sheriff and my good friend, Melvin high. I became acquainted with Sheriff High in 2003 when I was tasked with getting him con

firmed by the County Council as Chief of Police for Prince George’s County. He has had an exemplary career in law enforcement, spanning several decades and various jurisdictions, becoming the elected Sheriff of Prince George’s County in 2010.

In that role, he successfully led and managed his department and spearhead

ed numerous crime prevention efforts to keep Prince George’s County safe and provide hope for our future. For me, Sheriff High was a supporter, an advisor and a mentor. I will miss him as a col league in law enforcement, but I know that his body of work and good deeds will live on.

PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE

SALUTE TO SHERIFF MELVIN HIGH

A Lifetime In Law Enforcement

A Lifetime In Law Enforcement

Estepp: ‘He Epitomized Integrity’

By Business Roundtable President/CEO M.H. Jim Estepp

Melvin High spent a lifetime in law enforcement serving the community, chasing bad guys and reaching out to those in need with assistance. His reputation as an honest and extremely qualified Law Enforcement Executive brought innovation and success to the County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff High served across a broad spectrum of policing jobs. Before his multiple elections as Prince George's County Sheriff, Mr. High was Deputy Chief of the Metropolitan Washington, DC, Police Department; Police Chief of Norfolk, VA, and our own Prince George's County, Md. His work delivering food to the needy and shut ins at Christmas and other times of the year as well as bringing his own brand of innovation and professionalism to his assignments is commendable. When you think of someone who epitomizes the integrity and dedication needed to be a superb public servant, you think of the compassion and empathy constantly displayed by Sheriff Melvin High. Truly a man for all seasons. He will be sorely missed.

The Family Of The Shield

High LovedThe Agency, Gave Everything To The Service Of Others

By Prince George’s County Sheriff Darrin C. Palmer

This message was first posted Nov. 18, 2022 It is with profound sadness that I am announcing the passing of Sheriff Melvin C. High. Sheriff High was feel ing ill and checked into Washington Hospital Center where he passed earlier Nov. 18. I have been in contact with his wife, Brenda, and his daughter, Tracy I have shared my personal condolences, those of the agency, our law enforce ment community, and those of this community who dearly loved and respected Sheriff High. The family is asking for privacy at this time and I implore everyone to respect their wishes.

I have had the pleasure of being associ ated with Melvin C. High for nearly 20 years now. I have unending respect for him, and it has been the highlight of my professional career to have worked for

and with him. Sheriff High is the epit ome of the law enforcement profession al. He is learned, thoughtful, caring, and the consummate teacher. I have watched as he fielded calls from chiefs around this country seeking his input and guid ance. He always assisted. He deeply loved this agency and worked tirelessly to grow and improve it, and he sought every day to make Prince George’s County a better place He lent his tal ents, not just to law enforcement, but to matters of health, education, and all aspects of government Sheriff Melvin C High was an excep tional human being who gave everything he had in service to others. He is loved and will be deeply missed by everyone. Sheriff High appointed me his Chief Assistant Sheriff when he took office twelve years ago. According to Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings, Section 2 309, upon his untimely passing, the

role of the Chief Assistant Sheriff is to assume all the powers, duties, responsi bilities, and obligations of the Sheriff. As such, I was sworn in today at 3 p.m. to serve as Sheriff of Prince George’s County and will uphold that obliga tion until the new Sheriff elect John Carr is sworn in next month I want to thank the men and women, sworn and civilian, for their kind words and support during this very difficult time.

I again share my deepest sympathies and condolences to the High family. I know Prince George’s County mourns with me and our agency on their loss. Eternal God, please let Sheriff Melvin High rest in peace.

A SALUTE TO SHERIFF MELVIN HIGH

PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE

PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE

SALUTE TO SHERIFF MELVIN HIGH

PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE

SALUTE TO SHERIFF MELVIN HIGH