Article

Highlighting the Difference-Makers in the Black Anti-Fraud Experience

By Rihonna Scoggins Feb 16, 2024

February is Black History Month, a time when we celebrate the contributions and achievements of Black Americans throughout history. As we reflect on the past and present struggles of the Black community, it's important to highlight and support organizations that are actively working to make a difference.  

February is Black History Month, a time when we celebrate the contributions and achievements of Black Americans throughout history. As we reflect on the past and present struggles of the Black community, it's important to highlight and support organizations that are actively working to make a difference.  

We will be spotlighting two organizations that are dedicated to advancing justice and equality for Black Americans: the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) and the National Association of Black Compliance and Risk Management Professionals (NABCRMP). Both of these organizations have been instrumental in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in their respective fields, and each have made significant strides in the fight for racial justice.  

As members of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), we have a responsibility to support and uplift these organizations during Black History Month and beyond. By learning about and amplifying the work of NOBLE and NABCRMP, we can help promote a more just and equitable society for all.  

NOBLE  

NOBLE serves as the conscience of law enforcement by being committed to Justice by Action. NOBLE has nearly 60 chapters and represents more than 3,800 members worldwide that consist of chief executive officers and command-level law enforcement officials from federal, state, county, municipal law enforcement agencies, and criminal justice practitioners.        

Mission: To ensure EQUITY IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE in the provision of public service to all communities, and to serve as the conscience of law enforcement by being committed to JUSTICE BY ACTION.  

Can you share some of the challenges that Black law enforcement officers and executives face and how the organization supports and advocates for them?  

  • Get Out the Vote — There is a strong correlation of the perceived ability, or lack thereof, to fully exercise one’s civic duty of voting to one’s trust in key institutions such as law enforcement. The journey of achieving equal protection under the law experiences significant challenges if one cannot fully participate in our democracy. NOBLE has hosted webinars and town halls, advocated on capitol hill and met with civil rights organizations.
  • Recruitment and Retention — NOBLE has a unique perspective and expertise in addressing this area of crisis. Presently, our focus area is in three areas: CEO candidate development, growing quality pool of supervisors and increasing diverse entry-level officers. Keys to hiring are listed below.
  • Chapters offer guidance to assist local law enforcement agencies in their recruiting and outreach efforts.
  • Host in-person and virtual police job fairs year-round.
  • Leverage social media in all NOBLE initiatives and events.

NOBLE has launched programs in three focus areas:

  • Gun Violence & Gun Safety — NOBLE is launching an initiative titled: “It Starts at Home.”

  • NOBLE is hosting virtual townhalls and informational meetings on gun safety and the crisis of gun violence.

  • Lock It Up — NOBLE chapters are working with community stakeholders to get the message out to lock up and secure weapons in the home.

  • The Law and Your Community Program — Our signature program is a nationally recognized hands-on interactive training curriculum for teens and young adults ages 13-18. It is designed to improve their communications with law enforcement officers and their understanding of their federal, state, and local laws. The goal is to build trust between law enforcement and the community.  

How can the public support and get involved with the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives during Black History Month and throughout the year?  

NABCRMP 

The National Association of Black Compliance & Risk Management Professionals, Inc. is a member-based 501 (c)(3) non-profit association dedicated to supporting the professional development of African American compliance and risk management professionals. Members of NABCRMP represent corporations, financial institutions, law firms, accountants, consulting firms, government agencies, trade associations, universities and non-profit organizations. Our professionals work across a variety of business industries and sectors, including banking and financial services, health and life sciences, employment, telecommunications, consumer products and agriculture and cybersecurity.    

Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. We believe that diversity, equity and inclusion are critical elements of effective risk management. As such, we believe that supporting, encouraging and fostering the professional development of Black compliance and risk professionals in corporate environments encourages good corporate decision-making and governance practices. We also believe that the unique perspectives and insights of Black compliance and risk management professionals are not only valuable in corporate settings but should be harnessed to support Black entrepreneurs and small businesses to advance economic inclusion and community stability.  

To that end, our goals are multi-faceted. We are committed to:

  • Developing, encouraging and strengthening members and their communities by providing access to a network of Black professionals with expert level knowledge and experience in risk management, corporate governance, industry best practices, regulatory compliance and process improvement.
  • Providing members with training and professional development opportunities.
  • Advocating and encouraging policies that view diversity and inclusion as critical elements to risk management and corporate governance.
  • Supporting members seeking higher levels of accomplishment.
  • Assisting members with identifying entrepreneur opportunities.
  • Encouraging diverse students to make risk governance and compliance their chosen profession by providing career guidance and resources.    

Black History Month events

  • NABCRMP Presents: NABCRMP Industry Workgroup Recurring Meeting - Consumer Compliance | February 16, 2024 | 12:00PM EST – 12:45PM EST
  • NABCRMP Presents: Legacies of Leadership: A Fireside Chat with Black Pioneers in GRC | February 23, 2024 | 6:00PM EST – 7:00PM EST
  • Shades of Excellence: Black Professionals Shaping the GRC Ecosystem | February 28, 2024 | 6:00PM EST – 7:00PM EST   

Can you share some of the challenges that Black compliance and risk management professionals face and how the association supports and advocates for them?  

 Typical challenges that Black risk and compliance professionals face include:

  • The lack of access to professional and career development opportunities. This is why we use our platform to elevate and promote the work of our members, advocate and encourage policies that emphasize the importance of DEI in hiring and retention polices and make accessible to industries a talent pool of diverse talented professionals in the field.
  • The lack of visibility and representation. We provide our members with a number of opportunities to become “visible” by taking on leadership roles in the organization, developing web programming, participating in speaking engagements, leading industry initiatives and authoring article content.   

How can the public support and get involved with the National Association of Black Compliance & Risk Management Professionals during Black History Month and throughout the year?  

To support NABCRMP, we encourage the public to join as a member, register or sponsor an event. We have several engagement opportunities during Black History Month and all year long.   

Author:

Rihonna Scoggins

Content Manager, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners