Willie L. Williams

Willie L. Williams
Philadelphia Police Department Los Angeles Police Department
Born October 1, 1943 (1943-10-01)
Place of birth	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Service branch	United States
Years of service	1967 - 1992 1992 - 1997
Rank	Sworn in as an Officer - 1967 - Chief of Police - 1988, 1992
Other work	Federal Security Director of Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport

Willie L. Williams (born 1 October 1943) was chief of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) from 1992 to 1997, taking over after chief Daryl Gates' resignation following the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Williams was the first African-American police commissioner of both the Philadelphia Police Department and the LAPD. During his term as chief of the LAPD, he tried to create a positive image of the department and close the rift created between the police and black neighborhoods by the violent arrest of Rodney King in 1991.

Williams never took the POST exams required to become a peace officer in California. Not being POST certified, Williams as Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department could not make a felony arrest, and his provisional membership in the California Police Chiefs Association was terminated early in his tenure as Chief due to his lack of certification. The California legislature passed special legislation defining Chiefs of Police as peace officers regardless of POST certification so Williams could carry a firearm.

On July 31, 1990, Williams, then the Philadelphia Police Commissioner, testified before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, One Hundred First Congress, Second Session on "The Increase of Homicides In Our Nation" also known as "Murder Rates: Why The Recent Rise?"

In this testimony, Williams stated in part: "We must prevent the ready availability of handguns in America. It is for this reason, that I fully support the "Brady" legislation which would require a seven day waiting period when purchasing a handgun. Currently, there is a three day waiting period to purchase a handgun in Philadelphia and a two day waiting period across the rest of Pennsylvania.

"Furthermore, I support a total ban on the possession of handguns and semi-automatic weapons by members of the general public. Weapons such as these are not used as legitimate hunting weapons, unless we have lowered ourselves to prey upon human beings."

In 1996, Williams published Taking Back Our Streets: Fighting Crime in America, co-written with Bruce Henderson. The book discusses Williams's philosophy of community policing and his efforts to revive and retrain a demoralized police force.

In 2002, Williams was appointed federal security director for Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta by then U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta.

Williams is an alumnus of Philadelphia's Overbrook High School.

Resources

• Pick the Best Chief, Period. Los Angeles Times Jul 29, 2002.

Police appointments
Preceded by Kevin M. Tucker	Commissioner of Philadelphia Police Department 1988–1992	Succeeded by Richard Neal
Preceded by Daryl Gates	Chief of Los Angeles Police Department 1992–1997	Succeeded by Bayan Lewis