When X.Y. Brown first put on a police uniform, the Civil Rights movement hadn’t even hit its stride.
In fact, Brown wasn’t allowed to arrest white people who were breaking the law.
Believed to be the oldest active duty police officer in the country, Brown calls Jacksonville – that is, Jacksonville, North Carolina – home.
Members of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office first learned of Brown, believed to be in his 90s, after they saw a story on Facebook from WRAL in Raleigh.
“It was entitled the oldest officer in the nation,” JSO Lt. Lakesha Burton said. “I was amazed to see that this officer had been serving, not only our country in World War Two, but being a police officer since the 1950s.”
Burton said she noticed the symmetry in his story, considering he worked for the Jacksonville Police Department.
“So, of course, it got my attention,” she said.
Burton quickly rounded up an eager group of colleagues from JSO to make the seven-hour, 450-mile drive up to North Carolina on Sunday afternoon.
Eighteen-year JSO veteran Ofc. Tom Waarum, no rookie himself, said he jumped at the chance to meet Brown, knowing he can learn from a guy who’s been laying down the law since before his parents even met.
“The lieutenant came to me and said, ‘Hey, would you like to go on this trip?’ And I said ‘Absolutely!’ There was no thinking involved whatsoever,” Waarum said. “I'm going to ask him how he's gone about doing this for the past 50, 60-plus years, what has kept him motivated.”
Lt. Burton, who also heads JSO’s Police Athletic League, said all of the officers’ kids made cards and gifts for Ofc. Brown.
She said when she gets up to North Carolina, she may even be scouting Brown.
“And I may even recruit him and bring him back to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office,” Burton said with a laugh.
Reporters Jeff Valin and Tyler White contributed to this story.