Lecturer Bio
Shenandoah Titus
Shenandoah Titus, Esq., is the Founder and Chief Counsel of Police Oversight USA. One of America’s foremost authorities on ethical policing and oversight, Attorney Titus served in leadership positions within municipal, state and federal government for over 21 years. He developed and taught the first-ever course on civilian oversight of law enforcement at the National Academy of Continuing Legal Education.
Attorney Titus is a member of the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement, the Association of Inspectors General, and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), where he serves on the Ethics Committee.
Attorney Titus is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of the United States. He is a National Certified Investigator/Inspector, Certified Mediator, and he holds Ethical Leadership Certification with the Center for The Public Trust.
Education
Attorney Titus holds six academic degrees across multiple disciplines. He is a graduate of Berkeley Law, and has completed official coursework at Harvard Law School. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Cornell University. He is a graduate of Harvard Divinity School, where he earned the Master of Religion and Public Life degree.
Career Highlights
Attorney Titus was the first municipal Human Rights Director of Amherst, MA., where he authored the region’s first Human Rights Bylaw and served on the Attorney General’s Task Force on Hate Crimes. He later served as the Human Rights Director of the City of Somerville, MA., where he led efforts to earn Somerville the No Place for Hate certification by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). In his capacity as Human Rights Director, he received civilian complaints and led investigations into alleged police harassment.
He thereafter served as the first civilian Director of Police/Community Partnership Programs for the Transit Police Department, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Boston Headquarters. As a member of the Command Staff, he led efforts to earn the Transit Police Department several national and international community policing awards.
Attorney Titus began his federal career as Senior Policy Advisor for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Headquarters, Pentagon City. He led investigations nationwide into alleged civil rights violations by TSA security personnel. Additionally, holding Top Secret/SCI security clearance, he provided national security advice and training to TSA Headquarters.
Subsequently, as Program Manager, Attorney Titus established the first Headquarters Anti-Harassment Unit in the history of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Washington, DC. He led investigations into alleged bullying, harassment and retaliation by DHS personnel, which includes law enforcement agencies such as the Secret Service, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Coast Guard, etc.
Attorney Titus led develop of anti-harassment policy across DHS Headquarters. He received the DHS Secretary’s Award for Excellence, regarded as the Department’s most prestigious award.
In addition to his expertise in police oversight, Attorney Titus is recognized as one of the country’s foremost authorities on anti-bullying. He is the author of Bullies, Bosses & Betrayal: Overcoming Workplace Abuse.
Website: www.policeoversight.us