When Americans think of a police officer, they often think of a person who can look beyond the color, character, class, and weight of someone before they determine how to treat them. Even in cases where the person might be doing something they should not be doing, they are treated with a certain level of dignity.
Many in the Shaker Heights, Ohio, community think they have found that very officer everyone envisions when they think of an officer. Police Chief Wayne Hudson commands his force with the sharpness of a sword and the compassion of a surgeon. He understands the dilemma that officers face today, and he has a solution for it.
“We do what is called community-directed policing,” Hudson said. “We get out of the cruisers; we do foot patrols, and we do bike patrols so we can talk to and interact with the citizens we police.”
Hudson is big on trust. He understands that to protect the community, the community needs to trust that when the police do arrive at a moment of crisis, they will be fair, balanced, and solution-oriented.
The city of Shaker Heights is a vibrant city. It’s filled with some of the most spectacular homes in America and still pays homage to the best times of Cleveland’s history with the Rockefeller family.
Shaker Heights is also a community of diversity. With thirty percent of the community being non-white, it means that any police officer hired will have to serve everyone with a mentality to be civil to the entire community.
“We train our officers to be mindful of who our community is, and what influence we have over those we provide services for,” Hudson explained. “We understand what is required of us when we come in contact with people.”
Hudson is correct. Because Shaker Heights is diverse, Hudson understands that there are those who are going to feel policed and those who are going to feel protected when engaging with law enforcement.
There is a significant difference between the two. The one who feels policed will already have a preconceived notion of how they are going to be treated. Those who feel protected will have a completely different engagement with the police.
And because police officers can never know what they are walking into, the need to be balanced and neutral is critical in their interactions with the community.
When Hudson was hired as the Police Chief in January of 2023, he knew what the job entailed, and he was prepared to take on the responsibility of becoming Shaker Heights’ first Black Chief.
Chief Hudson holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s in public administration. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy’s 234th Session and various management and leadership schools. He is a past President of the Metropolitan Chiefs Association. His professional organizational memberships include the National Organization for Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) where he is an alumna of the Chief Executive Officer Mentoring Program, past board member for the Black Police Officer’s Association (BPOA) of Omaha, Women’s Center for Advancement (WCA), and 100 Black Men of Omaha. He is also a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Hudson has been recognized for his community work by being selected as the 100 Black Men of Omaha 2022 Mentor of the Year, Douglas County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Living the Dream” award recipient, Urban League Leadership Award in Government, 2021 inductee to the Northwest High School Hall of Fame for community service and community engagement, NAACP Freedom Fighter Award recipient, and BLOC 50 Over 50 Community Service Award recipient. He believes that the community is at its best when law enforcement and the community work in collaboration to solve criminal justice issues.
That belief in the community has led to a local committee that shares in the policing of the community. The committee is made up of local citizens who are allowed to have real input into what the city is doing. They offer their suggestions, critiques, and support to the police department so it can make decisions with the community in mind.
Hudson is enjoying his time living in Northeast Ohio and loves the people he serves. When he is not working, Hudson likes to hang out with his family. Hudson is married to his wonderful wife Jennifer of 27 years, and they have three wonderful children Kamile, Kiya, and Wayne II.
