Second Lieutenant Brian E. Boykin
Fairfax County (VA) Police Department
Washington, DC—WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) has announced the selection of Second Lieutenant Brian E. Boykin as its Officer of the Month for June 2001. Lieutenant Boykin serves with the Fairfax County (VA) Police Department.
At six years old, Brian Boykin had a fair idea what career path he would pursue. His role model was his step-father, Bobby Coates, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service field office in Atlanta. Brian couldn’t get enough of the stories Special Agent Coates would tell about the cases he and his colleagues were handling. The young boy’s enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge about public service was a source of tremendous pride for his family.
In 1982, Brian enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Serving as an Infantry Intelligence Analyst further enhanced his desire to become a law enforcement officer. Upon his discharge from active duty in 1986, he enrolled in the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy. During those years he served in a variety of positions including Crime Prevention Coordinator, Patrol Shift Supervisor and as a Consultant for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Upon his promotion to Second Lieutenant in 1988 he was named Commander of Criminal Investigation Section of the department’s Mount Vernon Station.
Lieutenant Boykin also studied at the University of Louisville’s National Crime Prevention Institute. He will soon receive his Associates Degree from the Northern Virginia Community College, and is already enrolled at National Louis University pursuing a business management degree. He is a certified Virginia State Trainer and a Virginia Crime Prevention Specialist. In 1999, he developed Survival Techniques and Education for Youth (S.T.E.Y.) and is the founder of the Fairfax County Black Law Enforcement Officers Association (FBLEOA), which has more than 100 members.
Recently, Lieutenant Boykin was assigned to the headquarters of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), where he has developed nationally recognized community policing programs. Lieutenant Boykin is a certified Child Passenger Safety Trainer and has been appointed by Secretary Rodney Slater of the U.S. Department of Transportation to a panel established to explore the disproportionate rate of injuries and deaths among African-Americans as related to seat belt use. In addition, the Lieutenant serves on a task force with the United States Attorneys Office, which develops and oversees training programs to eradicate racial profiling within the law enforcement community.
Due to Lieutenant Boykin’s expertise and dedication to duty he has been called upon to represent the Fairfax County Police Department on several national committees and panels. He has traveled across the country on behalf of the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), NOBLE, and the automobile insurance industry.
“Lieutenant Boykin is a very caring officer”, says Captain Shawn Barrett, Lieutenant Boykin’s Supervisor. “He works diligently towards forming a better relationship between the police and the people. He is promoting a better understanding of the role that police play in the daily life of the minority community. He does a wonderful job.”
Reflecting on his career as a police officer, Lieutenant Boykin says, “My greatest achievement is that I have been accepted by many people within our communities. I feel they trust and believe in what I do. I feel honored to have the opportunity to serve and provide them with quality law enforcement services.” He strongly believes that if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. He, his wife Wanda, and their two children are committed to public service and to any programs aimed at providing youngsters with a sense of pride in themselves and their communities.
The Police Unity Tour is the official sponsor of the Memorial Fund’s Officer of the Month Program.