Jacksonville Public Safety Police Officer, James 'XY' Brown is being honored with a lifetime achievement award by NC Project Lead. This honor, The White Lotus Award will be presented to XY at an annual awards ceremony and concert with Ruben Studdard at the Wilmington Convention Center on September 24.
A fixture in our community: XY is not only the oldest police officer in the Jacksonville Police Department but is also thought to be the oldest serving officer in the United States. Before his service to the City of Jacksonville, he also served our country in the Army during WWII. If you look at XY's badge, it says serving Jacksonville NC since 1971. XY wears it proudly and has actually been with the City for almost than 65 years, starting out as a volunteer in 1957 and now as a police officer and crossing guard. XY takes this role seriously. On a school day, you can see him managing traffic and assisting local students safely across some of the City's busy neighborhood streets.
Director of Public Safety, Michael Yanerio says, "Officer Brown is a long-standing asset to the Jacksonville Police Department. He is a professional and friend to many of us. He represents the best in safety and community. XY has been featured in the Tar Heel Traveler program, local news and made the news when Jacksonville, Florida police officers showed up in Jacksonville, NC in 2018 to meet him and honor his service. We are blessed to have him here in Jacksonville, proud of his accomplishments, and applaud his lifetime achievement award."
The White Lotus Award will be presented to XY Brown along with two other recipients from Onslow County, Nelson 'Pete' Burgess owner of Chick-fil-a for his lifetime achievement and Takenya LaBraido with Onslow Memorial Hospital as an Emerging Leader.
NC Project Lead is a statewide organization whose mission is to bridge socioeconomic gaps and strengthen community through leadership and education. Details about the awards and the NC Project Lead organization, visitncprojectlead.org