Julian Garcia
Julian Garcia is a retired law enforcement professional with more than two decades of service, including time as a Gang Unit Detective with the Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department. Today he continues serving in the federal courthouse while mentoring and teaching in Native American communities. He founded the Bryan Brown Foundation, a youth academy dedicated to empowering young people and helping them see the opportunities and choices available for their future.
Founder's Message
When I founded the Bryan Brown Foundation, it wasn’t to tell my story, it was to honor someone else’s.
Bryan Brown was more than just my friend and co-worker, he was my Field Training Officer when I first started in law enforcement. He was the one who showed me what it meant to serve with integrity, compassion, and humility. Bryan gave nearly 20 years of his life to the Tohono O’odham Nation, working as a School Resource Officer and mentoring countless Native youth. He was there for me on my first day on the job and I was there for him on his last.
On the day Bryan was killed, I was at the hospital. I had to process his body. I later interviewed the man who took his life. That day changed me forever.
This foundation became my way to cope with that trauma but more importantly, it became my mission to keep Bryan’s legacy alive. He lived and ultimately died serving others. I want to make sure that service doesn’t end with his passing.
I’ve always wanted to work with youth. Growing up in a home shaped by domestic violence, suicide, and trauma, I know firsthand how much it means to have someone believe in you to be given an opportunity, a voice, and a path forward. Years ago, I was a lead instructor for the Tribal Youth Police Academy (TYPA2014), where we brought together 44 Native youth from 34 federally recognized tribes. That experience lit a fire in me to create something lasting for the community I served.
The Bryan Brown Foundation is that “something.” It's a promise to Bryan, and to every Native youth who needs a hand up, a safe place to grow, and a future they can believe in.
Thank you for supporting this mission. Bryan may be gone, but through this work, his spirit lives on.
