Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Brown.
Hi Justin, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am an African American male that has always felt deeply committed and connected to my community. Those aspects of myself led me to go into law enforcement to protect and serve the community. As a former police officer, I worked in many divisions of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD), including the Task Force Unit, Narcotics, Mounted, Robbery, Honor Guard and SWAT. I also represented NOPD as a cast member on the hit TV series Nightwatch. These experiences shaped me and allowed me to build an important relationship with my community. In 2016, I was indicted and plead guilty to one count of the transportation of contraband cigarettes. I served six months in federal prison, where I received business advice and guidance from some of the top businessmen in their field. I also received insight from other inmates about their perception of the police and what they believed can fix the separation between community and police. In 2018, I created Empower You NOLA, a company dedicated to informing citizens of their rights. It also provides training to officers on the power of community policing practices during encounters with citizens.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Attempting to bridge the gap between police and community has not been easy. Over time, there has been a constant division and separation between the community and police. Realistically, I knew it was not going to be an overnight process bringing the two together. Speaking with my community members and empowering them to understand their rights and how to interact with law enforcement is tough but I don’t plan on giving up. Teaching police officers how to interact with the community they are protecting through community policing has its own separate challenges. I can say that I have seen much improvement since I started the company in 2018 and that keeps me going!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Empower You NOLA?
I am a former police officer and self-published author who believes that everyone should know their rights. Empower You NOLA is a company I started to inform citizens of their rights as well as train current police officers on how to deal with members of the community in a positive light. My vision for Empower You Nola is to bring law enforcement and community closer together and act as the bridge to do so. I speak with law enforcement agencies to implement new practices and procedures. I host in-depth seminars and offer hands-on exercises to help both citizens and police officers learn different approaches to handling high-pressure situations and retrain officers to fully understand what the community’s needs are. I have created the perfect companion piece to “The Talk” that many parents of color have had with their children for generations before sending them out in the world to hopefully survive possible heart-wrenching encounters with police. I provide invaluable insight in my new book “A Police Officers Playbook/A Citizen’s Guide To Survive” by detailing in simple language the federal and local laws, police procedures and constitutional rights fundamental to every citizen’s interaction with law enforcement.
Pricing:
- $19.99 A Police Officers Playbook A Citizens Guide To Survive (Book)
- $17.00 Short Sleeve Tee Shirt
- $6.00 License, Registration and Insurance Holder
Contact Info:
- Email: empoweryounola@gmail.com
- Website: www.empoweryounola.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweryounola/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Interest/Empower-You-NOLA-387523468716905/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEBEy0xzsxsiicJ35rftwA
