First African-American police officer
All Charles Brown (1942-2011) ever wanted to be was a Marine and a police officer. He got the chance to do both, but it was not easy. Born in Gary, Ind., Brown moved with his family to Bloomington as a child. After graduating from Bloomington High School in 1962, Brown enlisted in the Marines and served three combat tours in South Vietnam. While on leave during his third tour in Vietnam, the Rev. Ernest Butler approached him about serving on the Bloomington Police Department. Upon getting an honorable discharge from the Marines, Brown returned to Indiana, but the state police academy refused to accept students of color, forcing Brown to go to Louisville, Kentucky, for training. Brown then faced a resistant police force in Bloomington. On his first day on the job, April 1, 1967, Brown opened his locker and found a noose. Several officers refused to provide him backup when called. Brown retired in 1989 with the rank of captain. He spent the rest of his days as an active member of the community, coaching football at both Bloomington North and South high schools and serving as an officer for the Bloomington Housing Authority. Charles Brown died on Sept. 21, 2011.