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Nathaniel Glover, Jr., was born in Jacksonville, Florida on March 29, 1943, and attended local schools. After completing high school at New Stanton, he received a scholarship to play football at Edward Waters College (EWC), and graduated with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Social Science. His higher education work continued later at the University of North Florida (UNF) with a Master's in Education degree in 1987.

His law enforcement career began in 1966 when he was hired as a police officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO). In 1969, he became an investigator in the Detective Division. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1974, and held other leadership positions in the Sheriff's Office, including Chief of Services, and Director of Police Services. He led one of the first hostage negotiation teams in the nation, and was named Police Officer of the Year four times during his career. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, and the 1989 class of Leadership Jacksonville.

Glover was elected to JSO's top position of Sheriff on April 11, 1995, as the first African American Sheriff in Florida since the end of Reconstruction. He served two terms as Head of the City's largest department, with 3,000 employees and a two million dollar budget. His tenure as Sheriff was noted for his accessibility to the community through approximately 400 neighborhood walks, and his direct communication and interaction with the public. He retired from the Sheriff's Office in 2003 after 37 years of service.

A brief foray into the political arena occurred in 2003, when he ran for Mayor of Jacksonville. He campaigned on a platform emphasizing education, economic development and management of the City's growth. Defeated by John Peyton in the most expensive mayoral campaign in the City's history, Glover went on to serve as Co-chair and then Chair of Mayor Peyton's Transition Team.

His involvement with education and the University of North Florida deserves special mention. Sheriff Glover has exhibited a lifelong passion for education. During his first term as Sheriff he donated approximately $250,000 of his pension benefits to a college scholarship fund for deserving low-income children in Jacksonville. In 1995, he received the UNF College of Education and Human Services Outstanding Alumni award for his efforts to address problems facing youth in the Jacksonville community. On November 2006, he came out of retirement to rejoin both his alma maters, UNF and EWC, and the Florida Community College at Jacksonville, as a roving ambassador for higher education in Jacksonville, focusing on college recruitment, and drop-out prevention. In addition to serving as Special Advisor to UNF President John Delaney, Glover's role at UNF has evolved into building support for "The Jacksonville Commitment" - a joint initiative of UNF, EWC, FCCJ, and Jacksonville University that guarantees the full cost of college to any low-income public high school graduate in Duval County who meets admissions standards.

Among other recognition, he is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 1995 UNF Distinguished Alumni Award, and was honored as the UNF commencement speaker in April 2000. In 1995, Edward Waters College presented Sheriff Glover with an Honorary Doctorate of Law degree. He is also proud to have received the 1999 FBI Director's Community Leadership Award for his efforts to combat crime through community involvement, the Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award, and the Sallye B. Mathis Award for Outstanding Community Service. He was chosen to participate in the White House Leadership Conference on Youth, Drug Use and Violence.

Glover is a member of numerous community organizations, including Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, the Fraternal Order of Police, Brotherhood of Police Officers, and the St. Stephen AME Church Board. He is married to Doris J. Bailey, and is the father of two children and has three grandchildren.