Deputy Chief (Retired) Wayne Preston Harris grew up the son of a college professor who later became a Baptist minister and a political activist.
At the age of sixteen, Chief Harris worked with the Salvation Army during the summer at Star Lake Camp. He began as a Counselor-In-Training and eventually worked his way to the position of Head Counselor. While there, Wayne developed his passion for helping the youth. He created a skill set for interacting with them.
Chief Harris took this skill set to law enforcement in 1985 when he was hired as a police intern for the Rochester Police Department. He was assigned as a youth outreach worker in the department’s Community Services Section, where he served as a liaison between the department and Rochester youth gangs.
He entered the police academy in October 1987 and completed his academic training and probationary period the following year. During his more than 30-year career, Chief Harris served the Rochester community by patrolling the Lake Section, Clinton Section, Highland Section, and Downtown Section.
In the summer of 2001, Chief Harris was appointed to a Research Fellowship at the Police Foundation in Washington, DC, as part of their Leadership Development program. While there, he studied current and historical criminal justice matters that have impacted communities across the United States.
During this time, Yugoslav President Slobadon Milosevic was removed from power. Chief Harris was assigned to research the conflict and present the concept of community policing to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the U.S. State Department.
Upon his return to Rochester, Chief Harris spent four years assigned to the Department’s Professional Standards Section (Internal Affairs). During his time, the Los Angeles Police Department visited the Rochester Police Department and reviewed their internal affairs procedures, including reviewing an officer-involved shooting investigation that Chief Harris had conducted. This review led to an invitation for Chief Harris to Los Angeles to take LAPD’s Internal Affairs Investigations Course, which he successfully completed in October of 2004.
In conjunction with Mayor Lovely Warren’s strategy for improving Police/Community Relations, Chief Harris was appointed to the position of Deputy Chief of Community Relations and Engagement in August 2016. In that role, he was responsible for coordinating all community engagement and engagement activities and the department’s community policing initiatives. Additionally, he authored the city of Rochester’s “Blueprint for Engagement,” which outlines the challenges faced by the police department in their relationship with the citizens of Rochester and highlights engagement strategies for improvement. He retired from active service on December 30, 2017.
Chief Harris joined the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) in 2009 and served as their National Financial Secretary from 2018-2020, and is their current National Treasurer.
His philosophy on public service is based on accountability. He feels that law enforcement agencies and the citizens they serve are mutually responsible for the welfare of their community. He believes in open and frank dialogue to address issues that impact society, and he strongly supports establishing partnerships with community stakeholders to address quality-of-life concerns.
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