Maurice Boyd ’95

Public Safety Director, East Orange, N.J.

“Coming to St. Benedict’s was my mother’s plan, she made the decision. My mother liked everything the School stood for, the traditions and its reputation for producing young men who go out and take on the world.

Going to an all-boys school wasn’t my ideal, but from the moment I walked through the doors for the Freshman Overnight until graduating on the first Sunday in June, I felt it was one of the best decisions ever made for me. The friendships, the relationships, and the bonds I developed…it’s something I continue to use in my everyday life. St. Benedict’s prepared me for my career path and for the person I am today.

Growing up in Newark, kids generally didn’t understand resilience. We dealt with a lot. We saw drug transactions on our way to and from school, or knew relatives and friends who were shot, killed or incarcerated. As a child, you don’t understand how much resilience you build. St. Benedict’s was a shelter — and in that environment — you come to realize there is more to the world than your four-block neighborhood. I played water polo all four years, was captain my senior year and fenced for one year. We traveled all over the state and out-of-state for games and matches, so I got to see more of the world than Newark.

Why did I become a police officer? I looked at the dynamics of the police department, and at the time, the force did not represent the population it served. I wanted to have an impact. The East Orange Police Department was the first to give me the opportunity to live my dream. From Day 1 as a rookie, my goal was to become Chief of Police. St. Benedict’s instills that kind of motivation in you. We were given the reigns of the School and developed the mindset of leaders who are not going to sit on the sidelines. When you get out in the world, you become what you were taught to be at age 14.

I wanted to move up the ranks of the police department and did so pretty quickly to detective, sergeant, lieutenant, captain and now Public Safety Director overseeing the police department, fire department and Office of Emergency Management in East Orange. I had help along the way. I didn’t do it alone. I love being a public servant and giving 150% every day. First one in, last to leave…that came from St. Benedict’s too.

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“From Day 1 as a rookie, my goal was to become Chief of Police. St. Benedict’s instills that kind of motivation in you. We were given the reigns of the School and developed the mindset of leaders who are not going to sit on the sidelines.”

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Law enforcement is a family. I have lost colleagues, friends, classmates from the academy and partners in the line of duty and to other circumstances. We all know what we signed up for. You lean on your fellow officers in times of grief to cope, the same way we leaned on each other at St. Benedict’s. There’s a reason ‘Benedict’s Hates a Quitter,’ is the School motto. It’s easy to quit. It’s not so easy to move forward when you feel lost. St. Benedict’s teaches you to look back at the character of who you are to move forward.

I was appointed Director of Public Safety in December 2022. I was thrilled and a little hesitant. There’s a learning curve, and honestly, I’m still learning every day as I go. But every day I gain more confidence in my abilities to lead the city. It’s a team effort. My success in this position isn’t mine alone. It’s through the hard work and dedication of every man and woman who puts on a uniform every day.”