Respect, inclusivity, community: Dr. Cedric Alexander speaks to these themes as an experienced and highly respected law enforcement leader. Known as a top authority on policing and civil service, Cedric's talents are on air as the MSNBC Senior Law Enforcement Analyst offering thought-provoking discussions and insights. Consistently in his career he has been pivotal in reforming troubled police departments, diffusing stress and pressure in tension-filled situations and restoring trust in municipalities.
With 40 years in law enforcement plus clinical psychology, Cedric recently completed his term for the City of Minneapolis as Commissioner for Community Safety, directing five key sectors: police, fire, emergency management, 911 response, and neighborhood safety. His initiative Operation Endeavor, deployed to reduce crime throughout the city, led to double-digit drops in carjackings and gunshot victims. Cedric emphasized holistic communication and alignment to transform services in the city where the murder of George Floyd spurred outrage and cries for meaningful change.
Cedric speaks to next steps for community safety:
Work will continue with communities to rectify and reform public safety, engaging to make things better, rebuilding broken relationships. Across the country police leaders will not be deterred from doing the work that needs to be done. Unfortunate headline moments serve to remind law enforcement we must get out ahead of things and take swift action when we see abuse. We have 700,000 police officers throughout the US doing their work as a collective effort to respond to and reduce crime. I'm confident over time communities will grow in confidence to get out and feel safe.
Recognized as a voice of reason, Cedric's forward-thinking solutions gained traction while working for President Barack Obama and the Department of Justice on the 21st Century Policing task force. Previously he served as Chief of Police in DeKalb County in Georgia and as President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. He currently sits on the board of the Innocence Project, working to exonerate the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and criminal justice system reform. He is also the author of In Defense of Public Service: How 22 Million Government Workers Will Save Our Republic, with insights into the “fourth branch” of government—our nation's public servants, civil servants, and first responders.
With a doctorate in clinical psychology from Wright State University, Cedric conveys a sharp understanding of human nature while creating solutions uniting all. Widely respected for his ability to lead thoughtfully, he transcends both public and private sectors in an effort to foster positive change, underscored by current consulting work with AT&T, First Net, and other businesses.
Dr. Alexander provided remarkable insight on a critical issue facing our country, bringing both deep expertise and compassion for lives affected.
Keywords: police reform, leadership, trust, Black Lives Matter, law enforcement, community relations, public service, community building, first responders, guns, gun violence, race