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WHAT’S NEXT?
Upper Marlboro, MD…Yesterday I addressed a letter to the men and
women of the Office of the Sheriff notifying them that I will not seek
reelection at the end of my current term. I’m sure you understand why it was
important for me to speak with them directly and first. So many of the thoughts I shared with them,
I’m pleased to share with you now.
I extended my heart-felt
gratitude and appreciation to the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office with whom
I’ve had the pleasure of serving and now to the citizens of Prince George’s
County for entrusting me with this opportunity. I will be forever grateful for
the trust citizens placed in me to serve in this distinguished position. As the
saying goes “I am Prince George’s Proud!”
This is a very bitter-sweet
moment for me and a difficult career decision.
As many of you know, I have spent my entire adult life in public
service, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the nature of the work-life I
chose. Beginning with my time as a high
school science teacher, a United States Marine and war veteran, a police
officer and executive with the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department,
Chief of Police of the Norfolk, VA Police Department, Chief at the Prince
George’s County, MD Police Department (PGPD) and now closing this phase of my
life having served three terms as Sheriff. I have been so blessed!
Throughout my career I have been
able to accomplish goals that I believe also reflected social progress. I
created the Melvin C. High Scholarship Program to help high school students
achieve academic success and to encourage their aspirations. I’ve implemented
community policing in several communities throughout America that led to
significant improvements in police and public safety reform. Working closely
with the community to build partnerships in community safety has been one area
of the work I most enjoy.
I will so miss being with and
working with the members of our agency day in and day out. The work is hard,
but most of the hard work I did, I did not do alone. The successes I achieved
are not mine alone but rather the result of the skilled and dedicated
performance of the many talented women and men of this Sheriff’s Office and of each
agency I have led. I have not known a more capable and honorable group of
people than our members and others I have had the privilege of meeting and
serving with in my time in public service.
It is a source of pride knowing that many of them continue to serve and
lead with distinction in public safety positions across the country, as I know
some from this Sheriff’s Office will.
The incredible and challenging
opportunity that brought me to Prince George’s County prepared me for other
work that I am very proud of – that of working across the country with
individual agency transformations and guiding them to achieve status as “best
practice” organizations while serving as a member of Federal District Courts
Monitoring teams.
I came to my decision with full
confidence that currently within the Sheriff’s Office, bold and highly ethical,
visionary leaders exist with superior knowledge who are capable of balancing
agency and employee interests and have the courage to ensure accountability and
compassion. That leadership is vital to building on the tremendous progress
we’ve made as an agency, including working to strengthen our public safety
partnership with the community. I will have more to say about that in the
future.
I assure you that in the year and
few months I have yet to serve as sheriff, I will continue to fulfill my oath
to all of you and to serve the residents of Prince George’s County with
transparency, professionalism, and honor.
I look forward to our time together in the coming
months as we continue this important work. As time advances, I will
periodically share my thoughts with you on what may be next for me, beyond
spending more time with my wife and family and especially with my grandson,
Christian.
Yours in service,
Melvin C. High,
Sheriff
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