2022 Chairman's Award Recipient
The Chairman’s Award is presented to a member of the national body or an organization in recognition of the recipient’s patience, perseverance and desire for the improvement of the national body, and for their awareness of and attention to issues and concerns that impact the quality of service to both its community and membership.
Being called for a time such as this, Officer Nakia Jones’ passionate and heartfelt outcry over the death of Alton Sterling and other young African American males went viral and took the nation by storm. As seen on BET, The Roland Martin Show, The Tom Joyner Show, and other media outlets across the country, Officer Jones has been vocal about her outrage over the actions taken by some of her fellow men in blue. This life-altering experience inspired Officer Jones to write her book “The Truth Divided”, which was released in April of 2018.
In 1999, Officer Jones joined the Highland Hills, Ohio Police Department and in 2002, she was sworn in as the first African American female officer for the City of Warrensville Heights, Ohio. She held that position as the Senior Response Officer until 2017. Officer Jones not only worked for the City of Warrensville Heights, but she also lived in the city. She is an active member of her community and volunteers for Career Day throughout the district. On many occasions, Officer Jones sat with juveniles and their families, while off duty, to help resolve conflicts.
Officer Jones’ fervent plea over the death of Alton Sterling shook the nation. As her words resounded from coast to coast, it became clear that her life would never be the same. She has already released her first book, “The Truth Divided” and has now authored her follow-up book “She Found Me”, as her journey for justice continues. Officer Jones wants to leave a positive mark on the world. She believes that if you want change, it starts with the person you look at every day in the mirror; if you want to see change, you must be that change. Ms. Jones is currently pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice and has been inducted into three different honor societies (National Honor Society of the Sword & Shields, National Honor Society of Leadership and Success, and National Honor Society of Collegiate Scholars.)