University Police officers and GW staff members gathered Thursday morning in the Marvin Center’s Betts Theatre to remember James Isom, an alumnus and long-serving officer who died last month at the age of 64.
Despite the dreary, rainy morning, there was some laughter and smiles as Isom’s colleagues remembered the executive assistant chief’s personality with stories, music and photos.
University President Steven Knapp and Senior Vice Provost and Senior Vice President of Student and Academic Support Services Bob Chernak highlighted Isom’s 39 years of service to the department.
“He had several positions. It wasn’t that he couldn’t hold a job, it was because people here recognized the value that James Isom provided in the work that our University Police Department did,” Chernak said.
Chernak, who met Isom when he came to GW in 1988, told anecdotes about Isom, including their late-night calls over crime incidents on campus. Isom was required to call Chernak at home if there was an emergency on campus, no matter the time.
“James had a sense of humor,” Chernak said, telling the audience about Isom calling once at 3:30 a.m. to tell him about an attempted armed robbery that was resolved with an arrest.
“He says I’m just calling to tell you that I’m gonna give you the details tomorrow morning, at 7:30 a.m.,” Chernak said, drawing laughter from the audience.
Chernak said Isom didn’t have an ego.
“His focus was on other people,” Chernak said, explaining that Isom was head of the command center for major events like Commencement, and always had the goal to do his job professionally.
UPD Chief Kevin Hay spoke about Isom’s role in the department, which began in 1972 following service in the Army as a military police officer. Isom also graduated from GW in 1969 with a degree in international affairs.
“I think he clearly succeeded in meeting his life’s goals,” Hay said.
He described how Isom learned how to be fearless from his time playing football and rugby at GW, as well as his service. Isom earned a commendation in 1983 for responding to a robbery of two female students at gun point on F Street, pursing suspects into Alexandria, Va. and helping state troopers catch them.
“He wasn’t the detached and gruff person that many portray him, he was a leader. He used his years of experience to mentor and teach others, many right here in this theater today,” Hay said.
Hay noted Isom’s work ethic and how he would often work 12-hour days or stay on weekends.
He added that Isom had been ill the month before his death, and was hospitalized at home in Chattanooga, Tenn. over Christmas.
“He would’ve been very justified using some of the thousands of hours of sick leave he had built up over the years, but he didn’t want to stay home, he wanted to be at work, he wanted to come here and be with his GW family,” Hay said. “And the morning he passed away that was what he was trying to do, he was trying to be with us.”
Isom’s love of jazz music was reflected in a photo montage during the service. Pictures showed a younger Isom with his friends and colleagues in and outside of work. In one photo Isom posed with his car, the license plate reading “CHILI-1,” a nickname he had.
Former University Police Chief Dolores Stafford came back to campus for Isom’s memorial service. When she arrived at GW in 1992, Isom was a corporal. Stafford promoted him five times during his time with the department.
When she retired last year, Isom served as interim chief of UPD before Hay came to GW in September.
“You could see from the pictures we had a lot of good times,” Stafford said after the service.
She called Isom a “steadfast leader,” and noted that he always participated when UPD did charity work together. Stafford, Isom and other officers helped the Hearts and Hammers program fix houses for the elderly, low-income and disabled in the District.
“I will definitely miss him as a colleague and friend,” Stafford said.
