2026 SPECIAL SESSION I
ENROLLED
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2136
Celebrating the life of Geravis Anninos Brown.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, June 22, 2026
WHEREAS, Geravis Anninos Brown, an honorable veteran, trailblazing law-enforcement officer, and beloved member of the Portsmouth community, died on June 2, 2026; and
WHEREAS, after graduating from Portsmouth Public Schools, Geravis Anninos “G.A.” Brown enlisted in the United States Army and served his country with honor and distinction as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division during the Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, following his service, G.A. Brown briefly worked for the United States Postal Service in Washington, D.C., before devoting himself to the safety and well-being of his community by joining the Portsmouth Police Department in 1971; and
WHEREAS, G.A. Brown started with the Portsmouth Police Department in uniformed patrol and soon made history as the first African American K-9 officer in the Commonwealth; he then served as a detective with the homicide and larceny unit before making his mark again as the first African American public information officer in the Tidewater area; and
WHEREAS, over his years with the Portsmouth Police Department, G.A. Brown made an impact as a charter member of the Minority Police Officers Association of Portsmouth, as well as through his efforts with the Special Olympics and as a member of the Fraternal Order of Police; and
WHEREAS, G.A. Brown achieved the rank of sergeant in 1995 and retired in December of that year after 25 years with the force; he then served with the Norfolk International Airport Police Department before serving with the Portsmouth Sheriff's Office as a local probation officer until his full retirement in 2017; and