Officer Tim Brown, from the DeKalb County Police Department, provides the DeKalb County Board of Education inspiration and leads in the Pledge Of Allegiance to the Flag.
Melvin Johnson (Chair – Board of Education)
We are pleased this evening to have our inspiration and pledge by our District 1 board member, Mr. Stan Jester.
Stan Jester (Board of Education)
As you probably know, the Commissioner and I are extremely passionate about our public servants. The teachers and police officers in our district are the tip of the spear for education and public safety.
Behind is Officer Tim Brown who is from Maryland, but came to Georgia in 2007 where he attended Georgia Tech. In 2014 he decided to apply to the DeKalb County Police Department. Upon graduating the academy with the 101st class known as the “Sheep Dogs”, Officer Brown was assigned to the Tucker precinct where he currently patrols as a uniform officer.
His love for God, family and music are the only things that top his love to help and serve people. One of his favorite quotes he learned from his father is, “Your attitude determines your altitude”. Officer Brown is going to give us the inspiration and lead us in the pledge.
Officer Tim Brown (DeKalb County Police Department)
Good evening board members and guest. As Mr. Stan Jester mentioned, coming from Georgia Tech, it was something that was told to me to do. They said you need to be an engineer cause that’s where the money is. That’s where the fame and recognition was. It didn’t matter about your passion, that’s what is supposed to be done. That was put in front of me and we played by the rules. That’s what your parents said, that’s what your people said, so that’s what you do.
But, I remember sitting there and wondering what is my real passion. If I were to ask everyone here to raise their hand and find out who had a passion growing up, who had something inside of them burning in deep, when they woke up said I really would love to do this. Or, even if they did it, they really had the enjoyment to do this. Those that had their hand up, I ask how many are doing something in that field. Unfortunately, I’m sure a lot of those hands would go down.
Is that good or bad? It depends on how you look at it. If your hand went down, that’s fine. I’m not saying to quit your job, but I am saying within that field do something connected to that passion. For instance, myself, I took the radical route. I was a Georgia Tech person. I had all the degrees and I said this wasn’t my passion. I want to do something that helps people.
I had a quote my dad always told me, “Days should speak and a multitude of years teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man, inspiration by the all mighty given, that understanding should be given to him. Great men are not always wise. Neither do aged men understand judgement.” It took me a while to understand what that meant. What that is saying is you people up there, the distinct, the people that have made it, should be an inspiration to us. And as well the flip side, we should be an inspiration to you. As you go about, you should look at us and be understanding. What is my true passion that I should make alive as I go forward. I may have made it to one place, but what am I doing to look back. And we are trying to get to where you are, should have the same thing. We should be able to see you and understand that is something I want to be about. That is something I want to be about. That is a vision you have that I want to attack. We should not allow that vision to be diminished or pushed aside by what the program or the stats say. What’s your passion inside, that’s what you should go about.
I leave one more thing with you, the definition of inspiration, “The process of being mentally stimulated as you do or feel something, especially creative. The drawing of breadth, a force or influence that inspires someone.” This is something we should all have. I ask you today, what is your true passion. What drives you today? Have you found it? If so, what are you doing with it? If you haven’t, why not? Take this time now, day one, find that passion within you. Do something about it. Don’t let it die. With every breadth, with everything you do, allow it to drive you even more. Because, once you leave, it’s your passion that will be left behind you. That is a legacy. It’s not about what you do as far as the money you get, but it’s about your influence.
Please stand for the pledge to the flag.
“Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in pursuit of justice is no virtue.”