Writing His Own Story: Retired Police Chief Javaro Sims Joins College Philanthropic Advisory Board
Thursday, Apr 30, 2026
When Javaro Sims was growing up in Boynton Beach, he received a piece of advice from his mother that would guide the trajectory of his entire life. She told him to be the author of his own book of life. She wanted him to have control over how his story would read decades into the future.
Sims took that wisdom to heart. Over the course of his distinguished career, he went from a star athlete to a schoolteacher to the first Black American police chief in the history of the Delray Beach Police Department. Along the way, he鈥檚 earned numerous accolades, including a 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joseph R. Biden.听
Now that he鈥檚 retired, Sims is bringing his extensive community leadership experience to 探花视频 as a new member of the Philanthropic Advisory Board for the College of Social Work and Criminal Justice.
鈥淐hief Sims embodies the very values we strive to instill in our students 鈥 service, integrity, and leadership grounded in compassion,鈥 said Naelys Luna, founding dean of the College of Social Work and Criminal Justice. 鈥淗is career reflects the powerful intersection of criminal justice and social work, and his voice on our Philanthropic Advisory Board is helping to ensure our programs continue to meet the real needs of the communities we serve.鈥
Authoring a Life of Community Service
Sims was raised by parents who were deeply active in their community. His mother worked as a recreation director, and his father owned a local barbershop and beauty salon for 60 years. They prioritized education, ensuring their five children traveled and visited college campuses at a young age.
A gifted athlete, Sims earned All-State honors in high school football and became an All-American track competitor. He eventually played professional football in the Canadian Football League and qualified for the Olympic trials in 1980 and 1984. When injuries derailed his athletic aspirations, he leaned on his degree in education from Florida A&M University and began working as a schoolteacher.
Seeking an even greater level of community involvement, Sims turned his attention to law enforcement. At age 32, he entered the police academy for the City of Delray Beach.
鈥淚 consider myself a late starter in law enforcement,鈥 Sims said. 鈥淏ut what that did bring is a level of maturity that I probably would not have had if I had started in my early to mid-20s. It brought a sense of purpose.鈥
Sims set his sights on moving up the ranks. He steadily advanced from sergeant to lieutenant, to captain, to assistant chief, ultimately achieving the rank of chief of police in 2018. Becoming the first Black American chief in the Delray Beach Police Department鈥檚 100+ year history held profound personal meaning.
鈥淚 saw it as an opportunity to show the boys and girls who look like me that becoming a chief is obtainable,鈥 Sims explained. 鈥淚t showed that all the work, all the sacrifices I had to endure within that time frame, eventually paid off.鈥
Leading with Compassion in Delray Beach
During his time in leadership, Sims witnessed a fundamental shift in police work. Officers routinely encountered complex issues related to homelessness, mental health crises, and addiction.
鈥淲hether law enforcement wants to admit it or not, law enforcement has become an arm of the social work industry,鈥 Sims observed.
This realization prompted him to better equip his officers with the tools they needed to save lives. Around 2015, Palm Beach County faced a severe spike in opioid overdoses. After thoroughly researching the issue and collaborating with the local fire department, Sims spearheaded an initiative to supply his officers with Narcan. The Delray Beach Police Department became one of the first agencies in the state to deploy the life-saving treatment.
鈥淲e saw the death toll decrease once we started carrying Narcan,鈥 Sims said. 鈥淟aw enforcement, 99.9% of the time, is the first one on the scene. Why not administer the Narcan to give a person a second chance at life prior to medical teams arriving?鈥
Sims also elevated the department's community outreach program. He secured a $300,000 grant from the Virginia Harvey Kimball Foundation to hire a civilian mental health and addiction practitioner. By partnering with the Palm Beach County Health Care District and local organizations, his team provided wraparound services directly in the community including shower trucks, clothing, haircuts, housing resources, and more.
Building Trust Through Unconventional Outreach
Over the course of his 30-year career, Sims has approached policing as a tool for rehabilitation. One of his most impactful memories involved a young man who had been convicted of a non-violent felony during his early college years. He returned home, secured a job with the city, and finished his degree at Florida Atlantic. He dreamed of becoming a police officer, but it was impossible for him to achieve with a felony record.
Sims saw the young man鈥檚 potential and refused to let a past mistake dictate his future. Partnering with a state representative, Sims traveled to Tallahassee to speak directly before the governor and his executive staff.
鈥淒uring that presentation, I made it known that if they were to pardon this kid right now, I would hire him and send him to the academy on the spot,鈥 Sims said.
The governor immediately granted the young man a 100% pardon. Sims kept his word, hired him, and sent him through the police academy. Today, that individual proudly serves as an officer with the Delray Beach Police Department.
Sims found innovative ways to build bridges between his officers and the neighborhoods they served during his time as chief of police. For instance, one time, during an evening meeting with his executive staff, he spontaneously announced a new goal: He wanted to buy an ice cream truck.
Despite initial surprise, his team embraced the vision. Through a local foundation, the department purchased a van, wrapped it in law enforcement graphics, and equipped it with freezers and a sound system that played classic ice cream truck songs. The truck travels through different neighborhoods twice a week, handing out free ice cream to kids and adults, and visits elementary schools to reward students for good test scores.
鈥淚t was a huge relationship builder,鈥 Sims said. 鈥淚 was always a firm believer that if you brought the kids, the parents would follow. And that ice cream truck did just that.鈥
Shaping the Next Generation of Practitioners
Sims鈥檚 wife is a graduate of Florida Atlantic, and he has long admired the institution's impact on the region. When the opportunity arose to join the Philanthropic Advisory Board, he recognized it as another opportunity to extend the work he did as a police chief bridging the gaps between criminal justice and social work.
鈥淚 am unaware of any other schools that have merged those two genres in a manner in which Florida Atlantic has,鈥 Sims said. 鈥淚 think it's so vitally important that Florida Atlantic is in the forefront of this movement.鈥
Sims is passionate about bringing real-world practitioners into university classrooms. While textbooks provide a crucial foundation, he believes students must interact with professionals who have navigated the profession鈥檚 complex realities. Hearing firsthand accounts prepares students for the challenges they will face upon graduation.
Chief Sims has spent his career demonstrating what thoughtful, community-centered policing looks like in practice,鈥 said Ryan Meldrum, Ph.D, director of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. 鈥淥ur students benefit tremendously from leaders who have navigated complex social challenges in the field and understand that effective criminal justice work is inseparable from empathy, prevention, and collaboration.鈥
Inspiring Future Leaders to Take the Test
Sims encourages aspiring professionals to seek extensive exposure before committing to a career path. He advises students to complete ride-alongs, volunteer in their communities, and speak with active officers.
Most importantly, he urges young people to embrace challenges head-on.
鈥淭o give yourself a chance to advance in your career, you have to take the test,鈥 Sims said. 鈥淚f you don't take the test, you have zero opportunity. Life is about tests. How you deal with the test during the process, and how you respond after the test, that's up to the individual.鈥
By joining the Philanthropic Advisory Board, Sims continues to write a compelling story of public service. He is ensuring that the next generation of social workers and criminal justice professionals are compassionate and fully prepared to author their own lasting legacies.
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