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2020 SPECIAL SESSION I


HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 531
Celebrating the life of Harold Dewitt Brown.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, August 28, 2020

 

WHEREAS, Harold Dewitt Brown, the longtime sheriff of Surry County, beloved for his commitment to his community, died on April 1, 2020; and

WHEREAS, a graduate of L.P. Jackson High School and the Crater Criminal Justice Training Academy, Harold Brown was a member of the Surry County Sheriff’s Office from 1979 until his retirement on May 1, 2010; and

WHEREAS, devoting his career to law enforcement, Harold Brown bravely risked his life daily to ensure the safety and protection of others; after being shot in the line of duty in 1990, he returned to the force and continued serving for over two decades; and

WHEREAS, in 1991, Harold Brown became the first African American to serve as the sheriff of Surry County, a position he would hold for many years while leading the county’s law-enforcement efforts with the utmost compassion and professionalism; and

WHEREAS, during his tenure as sheriff, Harold Brown greatly enhanced the ability of the Surry County Sheriff’s Office to police its jurisdiction, coordinating with federal and state drug task forces and securing grants that allowed the department to hire more officers and acquire better equipment; and

WHEREAS, with an eye toward safeguarding the youth of his community, Harold Brown initiated both the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program and the “Class Action” anti-crime program in area schools, helping the young men and women of Surry County to stay out of trouble and pursue healthy, productive lives; and

WHEREAS, under Harold Brown’s leadership, the Surry County Sheriff’s Office became a round-the-clock police force and bolstered its 9-1-1 response services, better enabling the department to be there for the residents of Surry County in their time of need; and

WHEREAS, through the unwavering kindness and respect he showed the citizens he served, Harold Brown became a mentor and a role model to many and a cherished fixture in the Surry County community; and

WHEREAS, preceded in death by his son, Stacey, Harold Brown will be dearly remembered and fondly missed by his wife, Nannie; his daughter, Stella; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Delegates hereby note with great sadness the loss of Harold Dewitt Brown, an esteemed leader of Surry County who dedicated his life to the well-being of others; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Harold Dewitt Brown as an expression of the House of Delegates’ respect for his memory.