Charles Reynolds
Award of Excellence
Honoring Exceptional Contributions to Law Enforcement and Public Safety
About Charles Reynolds
Charles Reynolds is a distinguished figure in law enforcement with a career spanning over 35 years. His extensive experience includes serving as Deputy Monitor for consent decrees in multiple cities, Independent Auditor for the consent decree in Steubenville (OH), and a member of monitor teams for agreements with the US Department of Justice and various police departments.
Chief Reynolds has been a key player in policing reform, including his role as a principal evaluator for the Oversight Commission on Policing Reform in Northern Ireland. He has consulted on police organizational and management issues both nationally and internationally and serves as a police practices expert for the Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice.
With a strong educational background in Criminal Justice and Public Administration, Chief Reynolds has held numerous leadership positions, including Chief of Police for over 26 years, Assistant to the Director of Public Safety for the Navajo Nation, and various elected and appointive roles in his community
2024 Recipients
Retired Captain Spencer Fomby
Retired Captain Spencer Fomby is the section chair for the National Tactical Officers Association Public Order Section and coordinated the creation of the NTOA Public Order Response and Operation Standards and the NTOA Public Order Basic Command Certification Course. As the former director of the Boise Police Department Training, Education, and Development Division and a 20-year veteran of the Berkeley Police Department, Captain Fomby has extensive experience in patrol, narcotics, crime prevention, and SWAT. Named the 2011 Berkeley Police Department Officer of the Year, he also served as a Visiting Fellow in Police Science at the University of Derby. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Administration of Justice from Howard University, Captain Fomby is now a full-time consultant and use of force expert witness. His dedication to law enforcement training and expertise earned him the Charles Reynolds Award of Excellence at the 2024 First Amendment Summit.
2023 Recipients
Paul Taylor, Ph.D. - Association of Force Investigators
Dr. Paul Taylor is an assistant professor with the University of Colorado Boulder Police Department and a leading researcher in police decision-making and use-of-force. With over 10 years of practical law enforcement experience, Dr. Taylor has made significant contributions to improving police training and outcomes. His innovative research and commitment to enhancing law enforcement practices have garnered him the Charles Reynolds Award of Excellence in 2023.
Mickey H. Osterreicher, Esq.
Mickey H. Osterreicher is the general counsel to the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) and an award-winning photojournalist with over fifty years of experience. His contributions to law enforcement include serving as a reserve deputy sheriff and being a member of the IACP Public Recording of Police advisory committee. Osterreicher's dedication to the profession and his role in training law enforcement agencies nationwide have earned him numerous accolades, including the Charles Reynolds Award of Excellence in 2023.