In 1975, A 25-year-old Leon Clay stepped into the pages of Dumas history as one of Dumas Police Department's first Black full-time officers.Clay, 72, recalled at a young age seeing Dumas Police Officers patrolling and interacting with the community. Law Enforcement intrigued Clay and he wondered what it would be like to work in the field.
“It was always on my mind and my heart to try to understand what it would be like to be a police officer,” Clay said.
After applying for a position in the department, he was hired to be the first Full- time Black Police officer to fully implement law enforcement for all races in the DPD under Chief A.L. Morgan in March 1975. where he worked for one year. He completed his training to be a certified police officer through the Arkansas Law Enforcement Basic Training Academy in Camden May 9, 1975.
He recalled the black community not accepting him at first and that with time he became accepted in his role as a Dumas police officer, being there for his community when needed.
After leaving the DPD, he went to work at the Arkansas Department of Correction first as a correctional officer in 1977 and until his retirement for the ADC in 1985 as one of the first black administrative assistants under the warden and mental health counselor.
“Working as an administrative assistant I didn't wear uniforms, but I wore a suit and carried a briefcase and had my own office,” Clay said.
Clay also received training as a certified CPR Instructor in Desha County and certified EMT working as a Dumas EMT. In the 1990s, he worked as an Desha County Sheriff Department's Auxiliary Deputy while working for ADC. He also served 19 years in the Desha County Election Office as Election adminis-trator/marshall opening and closing the Dumas precinct and delivering ballots to the Arkansas City to the Desha County Clerk for tabulation.
Clay was born January 3, 1950 to Mrs. Winetta Clay. He graduated from Reed Highs in 1969 and attended University of Pine Bluff then Arkansas AM & N where he studied sociology. He joined the West Dumas Jaycees, the Black chapter of the Dumas Jaycees after leaving` AM & N. He did his part to bring Black History to Dumas by hosting programs in the DHS auditorium in the 1990s with black speakers, singers and others to motivate the students and entertain. He earned the nickname “Mr. Black History” and until that time Black History was not always celebrated in Dumas.
He gave advice for some looking to do something new will be hard and to try your best and stick to your goal. Even if you don't succeed, it just might step up to a future success. He said whatever got in his way helped to make him a better person because of it.
