DR. BOOKER HODGES

Unconscious Bias Instructor Booker Hodges is a law enforcement professional who has worked as a school resource officer, patrol deputy, narcotics detective, SWAT operator, patrol overnight watch commander, Inspector, Undersheriff, and Acting Chief Deputy, and Chief of Police. He has overseen a 58 million dollar budget, training, human resources, fleet, professional standards, and technology units. He also served as the  Assistant Commissioner of Law Enforcement for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety where he was responsible for overseeing 1500 employees, a budget over 250 million dollars, encompassing the Minnesota State Patrol, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and Minnesota Alcohol, and Gambling Enforcement. He currently serves as the Chief of Police for the city of Bloomington, which is Minnesota's 4th largest city and home to the Mall of America.

Booker is the only active police officer in the history of the NAACP to serve as a branch president. During his 5-year tenure as president of the Minneapolis NAACP, Booker was responsible for a landmark agreement to improve working conditions for employees of color and to diversify the Minneapolis Park Board. During his time with the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office, Booker was responsible for the hiring that led to the Ramsey County Jail becoming the first minority-majority staffed correctional facility in the state of Minnesota.

Booker has been an instructor for 23 years and is a certified human resource manager. Booker writes a column and is a member of the editorial board for Police1.com, the nation’s largest police news website. Booker is also a sought-after national speaker on the topics of unconscious bias and recruiting/retention of 21st century workforces.

Booker earned a doctorate degree in public administration from Hamline University, a master’s degree from Saint Mary’s University, and a bachelor’s degree from Florida Southern College . Booker’s experience in community relations and law enforcement are unique and they have given him a dual perspective on current events surrounding the law enforcement profession. Booker is also an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University in Saint Paul, Minnesota and President of the Northstar Chapter of the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE).