Recognizing Lieutenant Colonel Jabar Shabazz on His Retirement From the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office

Floor Speech

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Mr. WALKINSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lt. Colonel Jabar Shabazz, who is retiring after 31 years of faithful service to our Nation, culminating in his service as lieutenant colonel, the highest rank in the Sheriff's Office, immediately below Sheriff.

Lt. Col. Shabazz has always been a competitive and driven person, as was apparent in his days as a college basketball player. He attended Virginia State University on a four-year athletic scholarship and played small forward. In his senior year, his team won the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship. While his goal was to join the NBA, Shabazz ended up meeting several folks who worked for the Richmond Sheriff's Office when he was playing in a summer league after college.

He began his career in public service in 1989 when he joined the Richmond Sheriff's Office. After five years of distinguished service in Richmond, Lt. Col. Shabazz decided to join the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office in March of 1994 after taking a tour of the Adult Detention Center (ADC) and liking what he saw.

Since his graduation from the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy, he has spent the majority of his career in the ADC but has served with distinction in all areas of the agency, including court security and internal affairs. Throughout his time in each division and rank, Lt. Col. Shabazz made his mark on his colleagues and the Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid. Sheriff Kincaid ended up offering Shabazz the position to serve as her Chief Deputy in 2022, despite his nearing retirement. Knowing he had more service to give, he accepted and obtained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

When taking over the position of Chief Deputy of Operations, Shabazz was confident in his skills in operations and was looking forward to being responsible for both the ADC and all of their support services. Sheriff Kincaid described him as being ``the gold standard of leadership in [the] agency,'' and that he ``brings with him a mentality of getting to yes and finding a way over, around, or through any obstacle to get the job done.'' His appointment to this position was also historic, as he became the first African American Lieutenant Colonel and Chief Deputy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Lt. Colonel Jabar Shabazz on his retirement. On behalf of myself and the citizens of Fairfax County, I thank him and his family for his honorable 31 years of selfless service to our Nation. Fairfax County is the safest jurisdiction of its size, and that is in no small part due to the dedication of individuals like Lt. Col. Shabazz. Best wishes for a safe and happy retirement.

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