Episode 49: Law Enforcement Accountability, Starts with a Complaint with Guest Chief Henry King

Episode 49: Law Enforcement Accountability, Starts with a Complaint with Guest Chief Henry King
Welcome back to the You & Five-O podcast, where we have Chief Henry King of the Edenton Police Department joining us. We have had a long-time relationship with King, and recently worked with him to release our new short film #Huemans: A Guide to Get Home - a free resource available on youandfive-o.com and our YouTube page to provide Black and Brown communities with information on how to safely interact with law enforcement.

After telling us about his background and early experiences with police, King and BJ talk about how Black and Brown people who are active in the community don't desire to be police, but those kinds of individuals are needed in the police force to help bridge the gap between the community and law enforcement. King says police are public figures, but believes that in order to get respect, you have to give respect.

King talks about the struggles of small police departments and how they don’t have the tools needed to handle certain assignments, such as homeless shelters or housing for assaulted women. He also talks about how voting and police reform go hand-in-hand.

King aims to provide opportunities to anyone who wants to work in law enforcement and is willing to obtain the necessary education, training, and certifications - regardless of race. He wants to create a diverse pool of candidates who can replace him as the chief of police in the future. He also explains how to file complaints about officer’s behavior, and what the process is like at his department.

Bola WRAP

Watch #Huemans: A Guide To Get Home

More about Chief Henry King

Chief Henry King Jr started his employment at the Rocky Mount Police Department in December 2000 as a patrol officer. Serving in this capacity, he worked as a uniform patrol officer, answering calls for service, serving warrants, and traffic control. He also worked as a bicycle officer. Henry was transferred to the Administrative Services Division in 2003 as a School Resource Officer (SRO) and was assigned to Edwards Middle School. In July 2005, Henry was promoted to the rank of Corporal. In July 2006, he was promoted to Sergeant assigned to the Uniformed Operations Division. In February 2010, Henry was transferred to the Professional Standards Division. In August 2013, he was promoted to Lieutenant. In August of 2017, he was promoted to Captain and assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division. On May 7, 2018, he was named Chief of Police for the Town of Edenton. Chief Henry King Jr is also assigned to the North Carolina Secretary State Task Force and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Task Force.

Chief Henry King is a native of Durham, NC. He has served in the military (United States Marine Corps) and is a graduate of North Carolina Central University. He is also a graduate of the North Carolina State University, Administrative Officers Management Program, Police Executive Research Forum Senior Management Institute for Police and the FBI National Academy Session 283. Chief King serves as an Executive Board member on the North Carolina Internal Affairs Investigation Association. He also serves as a Commissioner for the North Carolina Sentencing Commission and the North Carolina Locksmith Licensing Board. Henry also serves as an Executive Board member for the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police. He is a Life Member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.