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On June 22, 1954, in Fort Knox, Kentucky,
the world was blessed with the birth of Derwin Brown. The firstborn to
Burvena and George Robert Brown. He was raised in Long Island, New York
where he attended Woodfield Road School and Malverne Jr. High School for
his elementary years of grade school and Malverne High School. During
these formidable years, Derwin began cultivating his principles and
beliefs, never backing down when he ran into opposition. He read
extensively the philosophies of civil rights stalwarts. At the age of 9,
Derwin had the privilege of going to see Martin Luther King, Jr. give a
speech in Washington, D.C. Years later, Martin Luther King, Jr. visited
our home town and delivered a message that set the stage for what we now
know to be Derwin's mission in life. "I remember the electric
atmosphere charged with hope and empowerment. A chill still goes through
me when I listen to the recorded speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
that I stood impatiently through on that day 30 years ago."
While attending Malverne High School, Derwin
saw the absence of black history being taught in the school. At this
point in his life, his disposition had its roots in the civil rights
movement. It was time for change. Derwin had the motivation, not to
mention, the courage to make that change. With these important
attributes combined with his charismatic personality he began organizing
a sit-in for black history to be taught in the school and become part of
the mainstream curriculum. Derwin was among a handful of students who
successfully lobbied to have the high school teach black history. Derwin
graduated from Malverne High School in 1972 and studied criminal justice
and sociology at the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University. After
graduating from C.W. Post with a double major, he decided to live for a
while in California. He then entered the Marine Corps and came out with
an honorable discharge. He moved to Georgia in 1977. He began working
toward his master's degree in social work at Atlanta University. He soon
met and married Phyllis O. Brown. He left school to work full time and
never finished the degree.
Derwin entered the service of Dekalb County
Government in 1977 as a youth group supervisor within the juvenile
justice system. There he worked with troubled youth that were in the
states custody for committing various crimes. Having worked with violent
youthful offenders in the past he found the work rewarding and
challenging. Several months into his government service he applied for a
position with the Dekalb County Sheriff's Department. Derwin was hired
and began what would become a 23-year stellar carpet in law enforcement.
While working within the Dekalb Sheriff's Department, Derwin rotated
through all the various positions in the department. However, he soon
learned that education and merit was not the key to success within the
department. He subsequently applied to the Dekalb Police Department in
1979. After successfully completing a battery of examinations and
interviews, Derwin was hired finishing number two on the list of
applicants. Elected president of the 14th Dekalb Police Department by
his fellow classmates, Derwin completed a 26-week academy program of
intense studies and rigorous physical training.
After completing
the academy, Derwin hit the streets of Dekalb County as a Police Officer
I to protect and serve its citizenry. As a young officer he became
thoroughly familiar with Dekalb County and on June 30, 1980 he was
promoted to the rank of Police Officer II. Derwin continued to excel in
his law enforcement career and was later promoted to Master Police
Officer on March 7, 1983. After serving approximately 3 years in the
Uniform Division, Derwin was offered a position in the Narcotics Unit as
an undercover detective. This would be the first of two tours that he
would serve there. While Derwin continued dedicating his life serving
Dekalb County he was later promoted to sergeant and transferred to the
elite Internal Affairs Unit in July of 1983. But it didn't stop there.
The department, recognizing Derwin's expertise and professionalism,
transferred him to the Training Division to develop new officers in
their chosen careers. In January, 1989 Derwin was offered the
prestigious opportunity to attend the FBI National Academy. At the time
he was chosen and accepted to attend the FBI National Academy, he was
only the second minority in the history of the Dekalb County Police
Department to attend. He attended the academy in Quantico, Virginia and
completed the 3 month long examinations and training. In March, 1989
Derwin graduated and received his diploma from the FBI National Academy
and was among the top 1% of minority in law enforcement to have
completed the FBI National Academy.
On March 3, 1990, Derwin was promoted to
Lieutenant to serve as a Precinct Watch Commander in the Uniform
Division. However, he did not stay there long because as stated earlier,
he returned to the Narcotics Unit for his second tour of duty. While
there he brought a new direction to the unit that resulted in the
confiscation of over 2 million dollars during his first year as the unit
Assistant Commander. These confiscated funds were instrumental in
constructing the new jail located on Memorial Drive. His targeting of
mid-level drug dealers brought him state-wide recognition from the
Atlanta Journal Constitution and Proclamation from the Dekalb County
Government. In 1996, he unsuccessfully ran for office of Dekalb County
Sheriff. Lastly, Derwin was promoted to Captain on August 1, 1999. He
was serving Dekalb County as an Assistant Precinct Commander of South
Precinct before his unprecedented victory in unseating an incumbent
Sheriff and truly becoming "The People's Sheriff". In
Derwin's words..................
"TO ACHIEVE...ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BELIEVE" |
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