About Charlie Grady

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The Hang Time Organization is proud to honor its Founder & CEO, Charlie Grady, during Black History Month 2024. From modest beginnings, the New Haven/West Haven, Connecticut native has risen to incredible heights and impacted thousands of lives. After high school he attended Connecticut School of Electronics and in 1981 he joined the newly formed Anton/Bauer Company located in Shelton, CT. There he and twelve other employees launched what is now a multi-million dollar International company. In 1982 he left that company to become a police officer in Hamden CT.

In early 1984, Officer Grady was the first African American Officer assigned to the highly visible Hamden Police Department motorcycle traffic unit. At that time there were only three (3) African American Officers in the entire Hamden Police Department. In 1986 he created the first ever youth program for the HPD called “Highwood Youth Association” (HYA). Designed to mentor youth from the Newhallville section of Hamden and New Haven, the program provided after school activities to reduce risky and negative youth activities. HYA placed a special focus on single urban mothers in need of assistance to avert their children from the lure of “street life”. This effort earned Mr. Grady his first of many special recognitions for his dedication to the community.

In 1987, Mr. Grady was assigned to the Hamden Narcotics Task Force and the Connecticut Statewide Narcotics Task force. By 1995 he was deputized federally and assigned to the FBI & DEA Joint Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. In 1997 he became the first African American promoted to Detective by civil service exam in Hamden’s history. Mr. Grady has been presented with over 100 awards and certificates of excellence in local, state and federal law enforcement due to his dedication and creative style of investigation. Simultaneously, he was gaining recognition for his work in film and television. His first role in a stage production was a lead role in “Whatever Happened to Black Love” at the famous Apollo Theater in NYC. As a professional actor and professional musician, he has played with nationally known musicians and appeared in numerous national music videos, TV commercials, soap operas such as Guiding Light and All My Children and films like “Waltzing Anna”, “Diamond Ruff”, "Breaking Point” to name a few. He also writes, produces and directs social justice stage productions. These productions address the issues facing formerly incarcerated people, their roots, struggles, urban crime and violence. He has written ,“Jamal” ,“Journey to the Great 8” conceived and Co-wrote "Her Time the Play". His plays have premiered across Connecticut at the Infinity Hall, Legacy Theater and at UConn in Stamford,. He’s currently producing a film he wrote on the many issues involving the criminal justice system.

In 2002, he retired from his decorated law enforcement career to turn his attention to the corporate industry as a Senior Investigator. In that role he traveled the country conducting financial fraud investigations for a Fortune 500 company. In 2008, Mr. Grady was contacted by the United State’s Attorneys’ Office for New Haven and asked to return to public service as the first Contract Investigator for the state’s US Attorney’s Office. In that capacity, he was the first person to hold the title of Senior Investigator for Connecticut. In that role he investigated and assisted law enforcement with civil and criminal cases. In 2013 he was asked to spearhead an anti-gun and gang violence initiative in Bridgeport, CT for the US Attorney’s Office. In 2015, Mr. Grady was again called to be a pioneer in a new government role. He became the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) first ever Community Outreach Specialist and Public Affairs Specialist for Connecticut. In this capacity he educates community members, law enforcement and judicial members on ways to effectively build a safer, more tolerant and diverse community.

Mr. Grady conceived the idea for a unique summer youth camp in 2016 for high school students interested in careers in the legal system or law enforcement. The goal of the camp was to blend cultural, social and ethnically diverse teens with State Local and Federal Law Enforcement officers in an educational setting. The goal was to help "bridge the gap" and promote careers in the fields of legal fields and law enforcement. He partnered with the Yale University Police Department and created the week-long overnight program called Future Law Enforcement Youth Academy (FLEYA). This program became the first of its kind in the country and is now being replicated in various states with New Orleans, LA as the latest state to implement the program.

In 2018 Mr. Grady was awarded the distinguished award of excellence in Washington, D.C. by the Director of the FBI for creating and implementing FLEYA (Future Law Enforcement Youth Association), Know Your Rights and Community, Cops & Culture, among many other programs.

During his time in the US Attorney's Office, he witnessed the “gaps” in the systems designed to help those reintegrating back into community after incarceration. Grady used his unique insight and experience to advance a "grass roots” program he created in Bridgeport entitled Hang Time. Hang Time is now in its tenth (10th) year of operation!

The program has expanded from Bridgeport to New Haven and Waterbury and now services over 1200 community members each year that includes seventy percent (70%) returning citizens. The Hang Time Organization is now growing at an incredible rate based on its reputation for serving as a consistent source of support in the communities it serves. Hang Time’s reputation for delivering on its promises has been the formula for the success of the organization. Ninety (90%) percent of the Hang Time Staff are formerly incarcerated individuals that have turned their lives around. They are credible messengers and mentors to those at risk of incarceration as well as those coming home from prison.

The Hang Time Organization now has several programs under its umbrella such as Hang Time Mobile, Her Time, CT Hall of Change and the latest program geared toward mentoring at-risk youth, called CHOICES. The impact of these programs within Bridgeport, New Haven and Waterbury has proven to be tremendous and the ripple effect can be felt statewide. As of 2024, several states have committed to replicating the CT Hall of Change, starting with Maryland in September 2024. Kentucky and Michigan state officials have also contacted Mr. Grady in hopes of replicating the Hall Of Change for their States.

Mr. Grady speaks at a wide range of universities and community forums across the country about his experiences and groundbreaking work in Connecticut.

Hang Time’s primary goal is to provide access to resources for returning citizens and to reduce recidivism and violence in the communities we serve.

Contributions:

-“Highwood Youth Association” (HYA).

-Spearheaded an anti-gun and gang violence initiative in Bridgeport, CT for the US Attorney’s Office 2013

-First person to hold the title of Senior Investigator for Connecticut.

-First African American promoted to Detective by civil service exam in Hamden’s history.

-First Contract Investigator for the state’s US Attorney’s Office.

-FBI’s first ever Community Outreach Specialist and Public Affairs Specialist.

-Awarded the distinguished award of excellence in Washington, D.C. in 2018 by the Director of the FBI for creating and implementing FLEYA (Future Law Enforcement Youth Association), “Know Your Rights” and “Community, Cops & Culture”.

-Founder of Hang Time, now in its tenth (10th) year of operation!

-Her Time eight ( years

-Choices two (2) years

-Ct Hall of Change four (4) years

-Hang Time Mobile nine (9) years

-Professional Actor, Musician, Playwrite, Producer,

Director