by Annika S. Hipple
Prudence International Magazine
Vol IV #1 (Fall 2008)
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As director of communications for the Prince George’s Country (Maryland) Police Department, Sharon R. Taylor is at the heart of one of the most dynamic communities in the capital region. Prince George’s has a diverse population and high education and income levels, but when Taylor came on board in November 2005, morale and relations with the community were at an all-time low as the police department labored under a cloud of external investigations, understaffing and underfunding.
“Even if we were able to put a police officer on every corner, the relationship between the police department and the community it serves has to be a good one in order to succeed in the fight against crime,” Taylor says. A key part of her role has been developing a strategy to improve the department’s image and community relations.
Raised in New Orleans, Taylor originally intended to study music but switched to accounting, discovering a passion for business that, over the course of a decade and a half, earned her positions of increasing responsibility in banking, retail brokerage and financial consulting, eventually landing her in Washington, D.C. In 1988, she transitioned into communications work as community relations manager for Coors Brewing Company, leaving after six years for US Airways, where she served in high-level positions in public affairs.
Taylor’s tenure at US Airways came to an abrupt end as a result of airline industry layoffs following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Though initially distressed, Taylor soon came to see her situation as an opportunity.
“I sat on my sofa for maybe a week and half,” she recalls. “I watched the towers fall about a thousand times, and I thought to myself: 3,000 people have lost their lives, and I’ve lost my job. Am I going to mourn the job or am I going to do something constructive? Losing a job did not seem like such a big deal.” She enrolled at George Mason University, graduating in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in political communications.
Armed with her new credentials and her wealth of prior experience, Taylor applied for a job in the Prince George’s County media office. Though she was overqualified for the advertised position, her resume caught the eye of county legal advisor Aisha Braveboy, now a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, who convinced the county executive’s office to hire Taylor to manage strategic communications. Passionate about community, Taylor spearheaded several initiatives to improve the county’s flow of information to its residents.
“Sharon is a visionary,” says Kwasi Holman, president and chief executive officer of the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation. “She’s an innovative thinker and very much a positive promoter of the county and its attributes, and she works to instill that vision in others.”
Since moving to the police department, Taylor has helped design programs such as community forums, e-mail lists and crime prevention initiatives that have improved the department’s credibility and presented a clear, consistent message. Taylor says, “I think we’ve raised the expectation within the community that they are involved and frankly have a right to be involved. In return, we’ve earned their support and involvement.”
Chief of Police Melvin C. High praises Taylor’s “ability to think globally and at the same time be detail-oriented and know that there are a number of steps that you have to accomplish on the way to the big success.” He adds, “She has a true heart for building communities. She has no other agenda than trying to make a difference in the lives of people.”
Outside of work, Taylor is active in the community as a mentor for troubled high school girls. Every Saturday, she meets with her mentoring group, serving as a role model and counselor as the girls talk about their hopes and dreams, and the issues they face in their personal lives.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” says Taylor. “Some Saturdays you don’t want to go and you go anyway. When you see the change that occurs, you really feel like you’re making a difference.”
As for the future, Taylor says she isn’t someone who always has the next step planned out. However, one thing is certain: “I don’t want any jobs where I don’t feel like I’m making a contribution. I want to make things happen.”
