Plano selected Ed Drain in January 2020 to serve as the city's police chief. Drain began his law-enforcement career in Plano in 1994, serving in a number of roles that led to the position he held for a decade as the department's assistant chief. He sat down with Community Impact Newspaper in 2020 about his new role as Police Chief.
Chief Drain is a Veteran of the military and left the active-duty military in 1994. His role was Explosive Ordinance Disposal, which is basically the bomb squad. He was an officer and during his active duty service, he served in Europe including Greece, and also in Korea.
Prior to his official swear-in ceremony, a homecoming celebration at Shiloh Baptist Church in the Douglass Community was held a few days earlier to celebrate the historical moment of Plano's first Black Police Chief. In attendance were the Founding Black Families of Plano, including elders like Eleanor Stimpson Evans; granddaughter of the founding fathers of the community, sororities, fraternities, community-based organizations, and allies to the Black community.
The celebration consisted of prayers, goodwill, and worship. As the community gathered to "lay hands" on the family; a practice conducted by Christians to amplify their voices in worship & praise was led by Senior Pastor Isiah Joshua Jr. and Dr. Tamara Thomas. The event was hosted by the Collin County NAACP and Douglass Visions Committee and held at Shiloh Missionary Church.
Pews in the church were filled with sororities and other Black leadership organizations proud of the momentous moment to witness the first African - American Police Chief.
Sources & Contributors:
June Jenkins
Exhibit Questions & Activities:
Why do you think it's important to celebrate pioneers, trailblazers, or the firsts people that hold a role?
Where did Chief Drain live before settling back to Plano?
What did the Black community leaders do to celebrate Chief drain before he was officially sworn in?
What were some of the organizations that attended the ceremony?
Where was the ceremony held?