Occupation: State trooper
Age: 42
Background: A native of Warren County, King has lived in Concord since 2000.
Education: King graduated from Guilford Technical Community College with a degree in criminal justice. He has also done further study through the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville.
Career path: He has been with the N.C. Highway Patrol for nearly 20 years, starting out as a trooper. Now a sergeant, he supervises troopers on the road.
Family: Wife Jeannie.
Role model: Retired Col. Richard Holden, who was the first black person to serve as commander for the highway patrol. “He received the highest rank you can have. It’s because of his accomplishments,” King said of Holden.
He also named retired Capt. Eddie White and Maj. George Cooper, both members of the highway patrol. They were King’s superiors at his first duty station when he joined the Highway Patrol. “They set an example of what being a trooper was all about,” he said.
He said Holden, White and Cooper “helped me develop as a trooper” and enjoy his job.
Quote to live by: “Treat people in the manner that you would like to be treated.”
Pet peeve: People not keeping their commitments. If they have an assignment, he expects them to follow through.
State of race relations in Rowan County: Generally good, King said, but some of the troopers have experienced racism. That has happened when troopers stopped someone who violated the law and the person used a racial slur.
“There are isolated incidents,” he said.
ó Shavonne Potts