Executive Director Jessie Lee has announced the retirement of Ms. Vonzella Hill, the Fiscal Accounts Manager at the National Office and NOBLE's longest serving employee.

Ms. Hill began her career with NOBLE in 1986 under Executive Director Elsie Scott and has worked under a total of seven executive directors. She also served as the Facilities Manager and represented the organization at the Condo Association meetings.

This was actually Ms. Hill's second stint with NOBLE. She left in the early 90's for work closer to her home in Baltimore County, Maryland and was persuaded to return by the Executive Board. In 1995 she received an award for her "Outstanding Contribution to Membership (NOBLE)" and in 2004 she received an award for her "Loyal and Dedicated Services To NOBLE".

Her daily commute was 150 miles, and in 2007 she was severely injured in a major crash on the Baltimore Beltway. Despite her injuries Ms. Hill was always the consummate professional and welcomed everyone with her warm smile and cheerful disposition.

According with her wishes, on her last day at work she was feted at one of her favorite restaurants, (she is a human restaurant guide), an intimate luncheon with the rest of the staff.

An official recognition of her service will be scheduled for a later date.

Executive Director Lee said, "Ms. Hill was the backbone of the National Office and her institutional knowledge is irreplaceable. She will be greatly missed".

Vonzella Hill, pictured above in a 1989 staff photo. L-R front: Arlene Williams, Khalil Mumir, Elsie Scott, Ph.D, Veda Shamsid-Deen, J.D. back: Andrea Black-Wade, Vonzella Hill, Reuben Collins, J.D., Synethia Thompson, Reginald Wells, Ph.D, Barbara Robinson, Darryl Johnson and Susan Paisley.

National Associate Member's Representative Jill Smallwood joins with President Jiles Ship and the members of the Northern New Jersey Chapter to announce that Detective Sergeant Eugene Stewart, of the Neptune NJ Police Department will be honored with the 2008 Community Service Award by the Bethel Community Development Corporation (BCDC) of Asbury Park, NJ.

The Bethel Development Corporation, Inc. will honor Detective Sergeant Eugene Stewart on September 20, 2008 as the organization celebrates their Honorary Luncheon from 11:30 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. at Gibbs Hall in Tinton Falls, NJ. BCDC is a nonprofit corporation based in Asbury Park, NJ. For ticket information contact Eugene Stewart at 732-984-8822.

Membership is the essence of any organization, and recruiting is the first of its three essential elements.

Oftentimes, the desire to grow our membership overshadows our need for quality members. In this series, you, the members, are asked to seek out potential NOBLE members to be featured in this publication.

Our criterion is simple; we want potential NOBLE members who are people of character.

Our first submission comes from President John Dixon and the members of the Central Virginia Chapter.

Chief David Horace, Virginia Union University Police Department is the successor to Colonel Arthur Rhone. Please click on the link below to see why he is our first potential member featured.

NOBLE members are invited to attend Chief Horace's swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday, August 27, at 3:00 p.m., at the L. Douglas Wilder Library, Lecture Center.�VUU, 1500 North Lombardy Street, Richmond, VA 23220.

Please RSVP to 804-257-5814 by Tuesday, August 26, 2008.

President John Dixon and the members of the Central Virginia Chapter are sponsoring two training programs during�the month of September:�

• September 10 - "Supervisory Techniques for the Non-Supervisor;"
• September 17 - "Gang Awareness Train-the-Trainer."

The gang awareness training is being held in partnership with the Virginia Office of the Attorney General. Both training programs will be held at Petersburg's Historic Union Train Station, 103 River Street, Petersburg, VA.

For your convenience and PROMPT registration for both training programs, the agendas and registration forms for each are attached.

Both programs have been approved for DCJS in-service credits. The 8-hour non-supervisors training has been approved for 8 hours of career development credits. The Gang Awareness Train-the-Trainer has been approved for 1 hour of legal and 3 hours of career development.

The 8-hour, in-service training, "Supervisory Techniques for the Non-Supervisor," will be held on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This course is designed to provide information about supervision to those officers and civilians who have not been exposed to formal definitions of supervision and would like to have some understanding of it. To facilitate the registration process and ensure proper seating, please notify us of personnel from your agency who will be attending this training by September 3. There will be a $75 registration fee for the non-supervisory training.

The "Gang Awareness & Reduction" training, being offered in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General, will be held, free of charge, on Wednesday, September 17, 1:00-5:00 p.m. This course will prepare attendees to provide training to other members of your agency and/or the community in understanding and recognizing gang function, signs, and gang mentality. Information on updated Virginia gang laws will also be provided. The registration deadline for the gang awareness training is September 12.

Please help spread the word about our training initiatives. Feel free to make additional copies of the attached registration forms. Please be sure to register for the training programs by the appropriate deadline. To ensure your attendance, register today!

Should you or your Training Director have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Sergeant Kenneth L. Ragland, Henrico Division of Police at rag@co.henrico.va.us; Chief John I.Dixon, III at: jdixon@petersburg-police.com; or Jessie Fleming at: jwfleming@comcast.net.

• Supervisory Techniques Agenda
• Supervisory Techniques Registration Form
• Gang Awareness Agenda
• Gang Awareness Registration Form

With a program theme of,�"Preparing for Your Journey," President James Overton and the members of the Delaware Chapter prepare to host their new student orientation program at Delaware State University. This program is designed to speak to incoming freshman at Delaware State University (DSU), in hopes of helping them with their matriculation at DSU. �

"As members of NOBLE we hope to use this program as a platform of support for the young men and women who attend this historically black institution of higher learning," said President Overton.

While the overall theme is, "Preparing for Your Journey," we would like for members of the chapter who have agreed to speak, to touch on the following focus areas: Attitude, Academics, Consequences, and Results. It should be emphasized how all of these areas can positively and negatively affect their college experience and beyond!

This program is meant to be uplifting and encouraging to the students. Speakers are encouraged to make a connection with their audience of impressible young men and women.

Launched in July 2008, the Amethyst Initiative is made up of chancellors and presidents of universities and colleges across the United States. These higher education leaders have signed their names to a public statement that the 21 year-old drinking age is not working, and, specifically, that it has created a culture of dangerous binge drinking on their campuses.

The Amethyst Initiative supports informed and unimpeded debate on the 21 year-old drinking age. Amethyst Initiative presidents and chancellors call upon elected officials to weigh all the consequences of current alcohol policies and to invite new ideas on how best to prepare young adults to make responsible decisions about alcohol use.

Click here to read the Amethyst Initiative's position before taking the survey.

Hello Associate Members,

I am reaching out to introduce myself to some and reacquaint myself with others. I last served as the National Associate Members Representative from 2003 to 2005. I am most proud of the confidence shown in me by the associate members who attended the Associate Member's Caucus held during the 32nd Annual Training Conference. The membership voted and elected me as your 2008-2009 National Associate Members' Representative. Many associate members made the commitment to attend the caucus despite the many options available in the great city of New York. The members of the New York Chapter, Region 1, and the New York City Police Department provided an excellent venue for training and a great time for our NOBLE family and supporters.

For those of you who don't know me, my name is Jill A. Smallwood-Rustin. I have been a police officer with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the past 22 years and I currently serve as a detective assigned to our Firearms Tracking Unit. I am a Life member of NOBLE and have served as a membership chairperson for my local chapter as well as on the national membership and national strategic planning committees.

I believe whole heartedly in the goals and objectives of NOBLE and at this point in my career I am in a position which will allow me to dedicate the necessary time to serve as your associate member's representative. The key to achieving respect and recognition as vital members of this organization is work, commitment and communication. I am committed and I plan to work hard to provide information and relay our concerns as associate members to the National Executive Board. I need your commitment and communication to be effective at this. Some issues can be rectified easily with open dialogue at the executive board meetings and other issues will require us, the associate members to prioritize concerns and become united in a common goal to solicit change.

Our National President, Joseph McMillan has already begun the charge for NOBLE to embark upon a positive new journey for change and he has my full support. Please take the time to read his inaugural speech to the membership at NOBLE News On Line.

I ask that all of us use our talents and expertise to begin your active role in NOBLE for 2008. If you are not already a member of a local chapter, join the one closest to where you live or work and begin “giving back”. Very soon, regional events for training will be added to our NOBLE calendar, this will be invaluable to all members, particularly when regions join their resources and train together�One Team, One Voice.

Because information sharing is vital to all of us within the criminal justice system, we can begin by creating a basic means for associate members to reach out to me; here are two email addresses where you can reach me: amr@noblenatl.net or jill375@comcast.net. I look forward to sharing more information with you very soon.

Peace and Blessings.

With a suggested retail price starting around $44,000 the Cadillac DTS is one of the dominate players in the luxury car market. Edmonds.com describes the Cadillac experience as, "powerful V8 motivation, classy uptown styling and a roomy, sumptuous interior.

Chairman Wesley Thomas and the Ways & Means Committee have done a great job with this raffle and the Executive Board has authorized that only 6,000 $25 tickets be printed and sold.

The proceeds will benefit NOBLE. To secure your tickets please contact your chapter president, your regional vice president or e-mail the Ways & Means Committee.

The National Law Enforcement Recruiters Association is proud to announce our upcoming National Conference on Law Enforcement Diversity Training to be held September 22 - 23, 2008 at the Marriott Crystal City in Washington, DC.

This year's conference features some of the top talent in law enforcement diversity recruiting including speakers from:

• National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)
• National Latino Peace Officers Association (NLPOA)
• National Native American Law Enforcement Association (NNALEA)
• Wounded Warrior Project
• US Army Alumni and Career Assistance Program
• Law Enforcement and Diversity Solutions
• Seyfarth Shaw LLP
• Arlington County, VA Police Department
• LawEnforcementJobs.com

Diversity recruiting is a dynamic discipline changing with local demographic ebbs and flows. Don't miss out on your best opportunity to learn directly from the top instructors in law enforcement! Attendees will be able to immediately implement the ideas and methods taught and improve their overall diversity recruiting program.

As always, NLERA will provide breakfast, lunch, and snacks each day and a first night reception to meet your fellow recruiters! Attendees will also receive a free renewal of their membership or free membership saving you $100! Group discounts are available!

NLERA training is limited to 100 participants from law enforcement, corrections, public safety and major Fortune 500 security firms with recognized federal contracts. All attendees will receive an NLERA 2008 Certificate of Diversity Training.

HOTEL CUTOFF DATE IS AUGUST 21, 2008. PLEASE STATE YOU ARE FROM THE NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT RECRUITERS ASSOCIATION TO RECEIVE YOUR DISCOUNT!

President Vera Bumpers-Pentecost and the members of the Houston Chapter present their 5th Annual Golf Tournament on Saturday, October 25, 2008 at Hermann Park Golf Course, 2155 N. Macgregor Way Houston, Texas 77030.

Early Bird Registration Fee: $75 per player
Entry Fee: $90 per player (After first 50 have registered)
4 Man Scramble
Registration: 7:00-7:45 a.m.
Shotgun Start at 8:00 a.m.

Your Entry Fee Includes the following complimentary Items:

• Greens Fee & shared cart, per player
• 1st. 2nd. 3rd. place awards
• Scoring Services
• Longest Drive Award ($250)
• Barbecue Lunch/Drink Tickets
• Closest to the Pin Award! ($250)
• Beverages
• Prizes awarded to the winners of the skill events.
• Door prizes will also be given away.