Listen to Lewis’s remarks to Carroll County law enforcement:
Football player Zane Lewis received kudos from Lt. Mark M. DeBord, Operations Bureau, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office in Maryland, in an email to Chauncey Winbush, vice president for athletics. In his note, DeBord commended Lewis for a presentation he made to Carroll County police officers as they were planning for protests and demonstrations related to the death of George Floyd.
DeBord said, “Prior to the briefing I was able to speak to Zane and his family. I shared some Shepherd College stories with him, and we were able to laugh with one another. However, what impressed me the most was when this mature young man walked into an auditorium of police officers and addressed the crowd. He spoke of his ties to Carroll County, how he loved Maryland, and Shepherd University. He compared his football experiences and teamwork to the operation we were preparing to encounter. He spoke to us about diversity and peace, understanding each other, and articulated the importance of ‘implicit biases’ and community policing. At the end he asked us all to hold hands and we prayed together! I have experienced many incidents in my 16 years of law enforcement and could go into detail about these events, but they are not relevant to the conversation. However, standing beside Zane and listening to him speak was the most humbling experience I have encountered in my career. This young man embodies the characteristics of a great leader; he is humble, articulate, wise, and approachable.”