2023 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a member of the national body in honor of the recipient’s dedication, efforts, service and visionary guidance in being a catalyst for the improvement of the national body which has brought about significant change in the quality of service to both its community and membership.
Leonard was a 31year veteran of the NJ Department of Corrections (NJDOC) entering in June 1979 and retired on May 2010 as a Principal Investigator with the New Jersey Department of Corrections/ Special Investigations Division (SID), as Supervisor of the Community Investigations Unit (CIU). Leonard started his career as a Corrections Officer at Rahway State Prison which was later changed to East Jersey State Prison. As a Senior corrections Officer, Leonard held numerous positions, to include Wing, Manpower, Transportation, Center Control Blotter Officer and Hostage Negotiator.
In February of 1990 Leonard became an investigator for the DOC Internal Affairs Unit which was later changed to the Special Investigations Division (SID). While in SID, Leonard has been trained and hold certifications as N.C.I.C. TAC Officer, Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) Basic and Advance Investigator Training, Top Gun Undercover Narcotics, he has also been assigned to the following specialized units; SID Fugitive Unit, NJ State Police, Undercover Narcotics Task Force and the US Attorney General Homicide Unit , U.S.V.I..
During his career Leonard has been involved in several community organizations; Men and Women for Justice, Inc. NJ Chapter, where he has held the following positions, Chapter Delegate, National Delegate, Chapter Vice President , Chapter President and Second National Vice President of the National Chapter of Men and Women for Justice .Inc., National Black Police Association (NBPA) Delegate, New Jersey Council of Charter Members of the National Black Police Association (current Information Officer), National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers, Inc. (NABLEO) (previously a National Delegate and Information Officer) and is also a member of Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship, Inc. NJ Graduate Chapter (Past Chapter Historian. VP. Treasurer and is currently WJB Scholarship Chairman).
Leonard has a son, Jason, who has followed in his father’s footsteps, and is currently a Dallas Police Officer.