For more than 13 years, Lieutenant Johnny McGee Jr., EdD, has provided the Arlington Police Department (APD) with exemplary service in training and recruitment. Lt. McGee strives to hire, develop, and mobilize the most promising leaders to uphold professional equity and excellence while serving the community, and his recruiting unit recently matched a historic milestone set in 2008 by welcoming a class of 45 recruits. 

Lt. McGee chose to be a police officer to become the change he wished to see growing up. Living in the inner city of Dallas, Texas, as a child, Lt. McGee never saw minority police officers, and when police encounters occurred, he would frequently hear locals blame it on racial profiling. As a master peace officer, Lt. McGee applies servant and transformational leadership toward reforming systemic inequalities and ensuring fair and impartial policing.  

Lt. McGee is frequently called on to assist with complex projects, from working with a colleague to research and pilot a new staffing/shift model to contributing to hiring and recruiting policy changes to working on a program to reduce recidivism among probationers. 

Lt. McGee has a doctorate in educational leadership and a certificate in justice from Harvard University, as well as a graduate of many elite police leadership programs. For his doctoral dissertation, he developed a much-needed, in-depth qualitative analysis on the impacts of police mentors for at-risk youth.  

Lt. McGee also owns a franchise of the vegan bakery Cinnaholic, which is highly ranked by Nextdoor, Yelp, and the Chamber of Commerce. By helping hire and train more than 45 employees, most of whom are locals, he has provided jobs, a safe learning environment, and mentoring.  

“As a police officer, I am a beacon to others coming from similar upbringings, ensuring impartial and fair policing is administered across all socioeconomic areas.”