RICHMOND, Va. - Irving Comer, the first African American police officer in Arlington was honored in Richmond on Monday.
Delegate Rip Sullivan (D-48) gave a floor speech about Officer Comer. Comer’s family was able to attend, including his daughters and his mother. Irving Comer passed away at the age of 74 this November.
Officer Comer pushed for equal rights, only agreeing to work as a police officer if he could police all neighborhoods, not just minority neighborhoods. He spearheaded minority recruitment initiatives and even was part of a winning lawsuit against the department, that forced them to promote minority employees.
"He understood that with his unprecedented position in the department, came the power... to interact with racial minorities and how racial minorities could and should be represented in the police force," said Sullivan.
Officer Comer was a school resource officer at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, at the beginning of school segregation. He worked to bring students of all races together, starting clubs and programs.
Officer Comer served in the marines. He received his bachelors, masters and even went on to work as a professor.
Comer's daughters say above all, he was a family man.
