National Policing Institute Names Dr. Cedric L. Alexander the 2026 Recipient of the Hubert Williams Equal Justice and Effective Policing Award
The award, in partnership with NOBLE in celebration of their 50th anniversary, recognizes a 40-year law enforcement veteran and author for his career-long commitment to fairness, accountability, and community-oriented policing
WASHINGTON, July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Policing Institute (NPI), in partnership with the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), today announced that Cedric L. Alexander, Psy.D., is the 2026 recipient of the Hubert Williams Equal Justice and Effective Policing Award. Announced during NOBLE's 50th Annual Training Conference, the award honors a police professional whose career has advanced rights, strengthened the relationship between communities and law enforcement, and promoted agency accountability. NOBLE was founded 50 years ago with support from NPI, by Hubert Williams, a past president of NPI.
Dr. Alexander will also be formally recognized at NPI's Annual Awards Reception this fall in Orlando.
"For more than four decades, Dr. Alexander has helped shape and advance a thoughtful understanding of what policing embodies and reflects in modern democracy," said Jim Burch, President of the National Policing Institute. "His voice, in the field, in the classroom, and in the national conversation, has consistently centered on constitutional rights, community trust, and accountability. Dr. Alexander embodies the core principles of Hubert Williams's leadership and vision, which serve as a model for every leader in policing and justice."
Dr. Alexander has more than 40 years of experience in public safety and executive leadership. Over the course of his career, he has held multiple leadership posts, including:
- Deputy Chief Operating Officer/Public Safety Director, DeKalb County, GA
- Federal Security Director, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- Deputy Commissioner, New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
- Deputy Mayor, Rochester, New York
- Chief of Police, Rochester, New York
In addition, he was appointed a member of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing during President Obama's administration. Dr. Alexander began his career serving with the Miami-Dade Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff's Department, and the Leon County Sheriff's Department in Florida.
A former National President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), Dr. Alexander has also served as an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester, where he has lectured extensively on police stress and burnout. He continues to train law enforcement leaders in management, leadership, and the principles of 21st-century policing.
Dr. Alexander is a widely recognized voice in the national conversation on police-community relations, appearing regularly on national media networks and serving as a law enforcement analyst for CNN, MS NOW, and FOX. His multiple editorials have shaped public dialogue on policing, accountability, and reform.
He is the author of two books: The New Guardians: Policing in America's Communities for the 21st Century and In Defense of Public Service: How 22 Million Government Workers Will Save Our Republic.
About the Hubert Williams Equal Justice and Effective Policing Award
Named for Hubert Williams (1939–2020), former President of the Police Foundation (now the National Policing Institute) and founding president of NOBLE, the award recognizes a current or former police professional, sworn or non-sworn, with at least 10 years of relevant experience, who has championed fairness, equal justice, and civil rights within American policing. Nominees are evaluated based on their impact on communities or agencies through education, published research, policy change, legislation, or comparable contributions. The award is presented in 2026 in partnership with NOBLE.
About the National Policing Institute
The National Policing Institute partners with law enforcement agencies, leaders, and stakeholders to elevate policing so officers and staff are better supported, organizations are higher-performing, and communities are safer. Founded in 1970 as the Police Foundation, NPI is an independent nonprofit, non-partisan organization.
About NOBLE
The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) is a professional association dedicated to ensuring equity in the administration of justice in the provision of public service to all communities, and to serving as the conscience of law enforcement.
Media Contact: Megan Webster, [email protected], 571-562-1605
SOURCE National Policing Institute
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