Colonel Gray Inducted into NABCJ Wall of Fame

Photo by Richard Gray Title: Colonel Richard Gray inducted into NABCJ Wall of Fame
Source: Richard Gray

 Colonel Richard Gray, Public Safety Director of the City of St. Louis, was inducted by NABCJ National President Carlyle Holder as the 10th Wall of Fame Inductee during the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ) 42nd Annual Conference and Training Institute held in Phoenix, AZ last week.  Established in 2008, this award is presented to individuals whose contributions to NABCJ have been significant, substantial, and long-standing in helping to realize the organization's missions of equal justice, being a leader in criminal justice reform, and/or helping to strengthen NABCJ's financial portfolio in order to generate the fiscal capital necessary for establishing and implementing community outreach programs, promoting positive youth development, stimulating community revitalization, and building community capacity.  All of which prove necessary in helping to prevent crime, as well as reducing re-offending and recidivism.

Colonel Gray's unwavering commitment to community service and civic engagement has been demonstrated for well over 25 year.  In 1986, he founded the St. Louis Eagles AAU basketball club, an important vehicle that utilizes sports to help encourage young males and females to earn an education through playing basketball.  The program employs a holistic model, which focuses on helping youth to make right choices, serve their respective community, and learn how to step outside their comfort zones.  To date, more than 1,000 youth have benefited from this program.  Colonel Gray has also been active with the St. Louis Sports Commission, Board of Downtown Partnership for the City of St. Louis, and Junior Boys Development Programs, just to name a few of his endeavors in community and civic engagement.

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