President: Calvin Higgins

At an early age, Dr. Calvin J. Higgins Jr, knew he either wanted to be a police officer or in the Military. He admired the work, commitment and discipline of the men and women in uniform who served their communities and the nation. It was also at an early age, that Dr. Higgins’s father instilled in him the importance of higher education and encouraged him to pursue the highest levels of education. Dr. Higgins set out in life to become the law enforcement scholar and practitioner he envisioned.

In 1987, Dr. Higgins began his journey to becoming a decorated law enforcement scholar and practitioner. He attended Ohio State University where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminology and was commissioned to 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves Military Police Corp after completing his ROTC studies. Dr. Higgins went on to serve six years in the Army Reserve commanding a Military Police platoon in Ohio. While studying at Ohio State University, Dr. Higgins had the opportunity to attend the U.S. Army’s parachute school in Ft. Benning, Georgia where he earned his airborne jump wings. He was also a student athlete while attending Ohio State University and was on the Ohio State University Men’s Rowing team.  

After graduating from Ohio State University, Dr. Higgins moved to Largo, Florida to become a police officer and while at Largo P.D., quickly rose through the ranks and in just a few short years, earned a promotion to detective and was selected for the Special Response Team (SRT). 

After his stint at the Largo Police Department, in 1991, Dr. Higgins pursued his dream and became a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Tampa, Florida. He worked twenty-seven years as a Special Agent, rising to the rank of Resident Agent in Charge (RAC) before his retirement in 2018. During his career, he was assigned to several different offices that included Bolivia, Washington DC, Detroit and Flint, Michigan. Dr. Higgins was often described as a tenacious investigator as he pursued national and international drug traffickers throughout the U.S. and exotic locations in Europe, Canada, Central and South America. 

Even as a DEA Agent investigating and pursuing some of the most dangerous drug criminals in the world, Dr. Higgins never stopped his pursuit of higher education.  In 2005, he returned to the classroom and received his Master of Science in Criminology from Tiffin University and a Master of Arts in Political Science from Wayne State University in 2014. While in the Master’s program at Wayne State University, he was inducted into the National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration. 

In 2018, he retired after twenty-seven years with DEA and was quickly lured out of retirement by the Detroit Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago for the position of Chief of the Law Enforcement Unit. Once again, Dr. Higgins quickly rose through the organization and is now the Assistant Vice President of Branch Operations.

In 2019, Dr. Higgins reached the pinnacle of his collegiate career when he received his PhD in Political Science from Wayne State University and leveraged his practitioner and scholarly experiences to research, write, and successfully defend his dissertation titled, The Making of Federal Drug Policy: Is it Black, White or Something Else?  Dr. Higgins has remained active in the college classroom as an adjunct professor at The University of Michigan-Flint and Wayne State University.

Throughout his life and career, Dr. Higgins remains passionate about helping people in the communities he serves to overcome challenges and achieve success. Because of this passion, he served as a reading volunteer for the Detroit Reading Corp where he would go on his lunch hour to a Detroit Public School and assist 1stthrough 4th graders with their reading. 

Dr. Higgins has served on the Board of the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities that provide programs and resources to help in the recovery, treatment, and education of people suffering from substance misuse. Often, he can be found supporting his church and other charitable organizations in preparing and distributing food to those in need. 

Dr. Higgins remains committed to lead the effort to ensure equity in the administration of justice and to serve as the conscience of law enforcement by being committed to “Justice by Action.”

As a lifelong resident of the city of Detroit, Retired Commander Pamela J. McClain knew early on that she was destined for a life of service. Her involvement in the Community and commitment to helping others continues and thus began her long road to a litany of achievements: One of which in 2002, culminated into her becoming the first African American female Commander in the history of the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.

Commander McClain is a graduate of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and on Mother’s Day of 1995, she and her sister walked across the stage – and together graduated from the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law earning their Juris Doctorate degrees.  

Her many professional and community affiliations are as follows: Trustee with the Detroit Public Television (DPTV), Commissioner with the Detroit Crime Commission, Life Member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, Graduate of the 

FBI Civilians Academy, Criminal Justice Women of Michigan, Inc. Diamond Life Member of

 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. – A Public Service Sorority and member of the 

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, to name a few.

Commander McClain has received numerous community and professional Awards of Recognition: Star of Fame - Black Law Students Association, Celebration of Women of Excellence in Law Enforcement, YMCA Minority Achievers Award - Achievement of Excellence Award, Commonwealth of Kentucky – Commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel, U of M Alumni of the Year - Detroit Chapter, National Organization Black Elected Legislators – Women of Excellence Award, Spirit of Detroit Women of Excellence Award, and others to numerous to mention. 

In 2009, tremendously proud of her record and accomplishments, Executive Commander McClain retired after 27 years of a long and illustrious career and continues to live by her credo: “To whom much is given, much is required.”  

In 2014, not one to rest on her laurels, Ms. McClain came out of retirement to work for the city that she loves and serves as an Executive Assistant to Mayor Michael Duggan. She was promoted as the Executive Liaison for Community Engagement and serves on the following boards: Board member of the Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority - the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, elected Board Secretary to the DBRA, and serves as Chair of the DBRA Revolving Loan Fund that provides developers funding for their projects.  

In 1974, NOBLE Life member, Retired Lieutenant Roosevelt Lawrence, Jr. began his career with the Detroit Police Department as a Cadet and one year later, was sworn in as a police officer. During his storied career, he was promoted to the ranks of Sergeant and Lieutenant and had the privilege of being assigned a host of assignments over the years. Lawrence says that it was a badge of honor to have served on the staffs of Chiefs William Hart, Stanley Knox and Ike McKinnon as their Executive Protection officer and Supervisor. In 2000, he attended The Police School of Staff and Command at Eastern Michigan University. He served with distinction and retired in 2005 after 31 years of service. 

Lieutenant Lawrence knew that his life was meant for service.  Not ready to sit on the sidelines, from 2006 to 2008 he chose to become a Classroom Teacher (Special Instructor) at The A. Philp Randolph Career and Technical Center; the only career and technical center in the city of Detroit that offers hands-on training in the area of Construction that leads to industry certification.  Still not ready to cut ties from the educational system, from 2008 to 2010, Lt. Lawrence worked in the Detroit Public Schools Office of General Counsel as a Compliance Investigator and in 2010, he found his way back into law enforcement serving as a Deed Fraud Investigator with the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and also provided personal protection to our lead Prosecutor, The Honorable Kym L. Worthy.  While working a job that can seem stressful at times due to its high-profile nature, Lawrence recognized the importance of education and completed his undergraduate program at Eastern Michigan University in Public Safety Administration.   

In 2011, Lt. Lawrence received the much-coveted Men of Excellence award from the Michigan Chronicle of which he was both honored and most grateful for his commitment to community service.   

In 2017, and for the next seven years, at the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, Lt. Lawrence worked as a background investigator for new employees and before he retired, started working on his Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership. Always willing to grow and learn, as a licensed minister at Triumph Church, he serves with the Men’s Ministry and the Jr. Security Cadets, and in his spare time, he attends the Moody Theological Seminary, studying Children and Family Ministry.    Lt. Lawrence always had a penchant for Black history and writing, so he combined both interests to become a published author and penned his first book - Blacks that wore Blue – the historical perspective of the men and women of the Detroit Police Department and law enforcement.  It was this rich history that motivated him to serve as President of the Detroit African American Police Association where he mentored younger officers and for the past five years, served as the lead mentor at the University Prep Grade School with the BOYS2MEN mentoring program.  

 Tremendously proud of his 54-year journey as a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. he is the senior member of six Omega men in his collective family; two biological brothers and three cousins to which he boasts; a beautiful family legacy!! He lists amongst his greatest achievements, his reward of fathering 2 adult children, Reggie and Jennifer - both HBCU graduates from Tuskegee University and Tennessee State University respectfully.  

At the 2023 NOBLE National Conference, Retired Lt. Lawrence was honored to receive the 2023 Retired Members Community Service Award bestowed upon him because he continues to serve the city of Detroit and its surrounding community by demonstrating selflessness and commitment to community-oriented projects and outreach initiatives. 

 Lt. Lawrence is currently involved in multiple organizations and volunteers his time, money, and commitment to assist young black males in the community.

Retired Lt. Lawrence lives by the ideology - Leading from the Front, Hardworking and Faithful.  His credo – “Service is who he is…and service is what he does.”  

Dr. Anderson was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. After witnessing the unwarranted, aggressive treatment directed toward African American men, she also noticed that the Detroit Police officers cursing her neighborhood did not look like her; they weren’t African American nor were they female. Her early observations sparked a passion for serving the community as a law enforcement officer, with her first experience being that of a Police Explorer at the 11th precinct on Davison and Conant Avenue in Detroit. As a teenager, she also worked as a Police Cadet with the Detroit summer program and once in high school, Dr. Anderson participated in the Public Safety/Protective Services program at Golightly Career and Technical Center.

As a natural progression, she secured employment with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office and during her twenty-year career, started as a Police Officer and served in the following assignments: Education, DARE, Training, Courts, promoted to Sergeant and ultimately, Detective Sergeant. In October 2018, Dr. Anderson was hired as the Human Resource Director for the Detroit Police Department and while serving in this capacity, she managed the process and monitored the department's hiring and promotional examinations of police and civilians. 

After her retirement from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, Dr. Anderson began a career in education, at various colleges and universities serving as Dean, Associate Dean, Criminal Justice Chair, and Instructor. She instructs face-to-face, synchronous and asynchronous graduate and undergraduate Criminology, Sociology and Public Policy courses. 

Dr. Anderson is a Criminology and Criminal Justice Professor at Purdue Global University, West Lafayette, Indiana and serves on the university's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, which promotes, advocates and creates opportunities in the educational environment.  She obtained her undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at Wayne State University. 

Dr. Anderson earned a Master of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan, and a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from Walden University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her professional and community affiliations include membership in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a public service sorority and the American Society for Public Administration.