As the face of Jefferson City during the May 22 tornado, a high profile case and other occasions, Lt. David Williams is being recognized for more than 25 years of dedication to the city.
Williams is Jefferson City's Outstanding Employee for 2019. The Jefferson City Police Department employee will be recognized today during the 6 p.m. City Council meeting, 302 E. McCarty St.
Responding to emergencies and being on the front lines when disaster strikes is part of the job, William said.
"That's what I get paid to do," Williams said. "I get paid to go out and be the face of the police department. Part of that was tragedies that we had."
Within the past year, Williams has addressed the community during the May 22 tornado, record-level flooding and the search for 4-year-old Darnell Gray who authorities found dead last October.
Each time, he displayed compassion, composure, calmness and honesty while showing the country that Jefferson City was acting swiftly and appropriately, according to the resolution from the city.
"It was good to know that people know that I did my job," Williams said. "And I did it well enough that people were proud to say that I represented the whole city. It's a good feeling to know that even though it's my job and it's what I signed on for that someone in the circle of the city felt that I'd done well enough to be recognized for it."
Employees are nominated each year by their peers; a committee of past recipients review and select the recipient, according to the resolution.
The award was originally announced at the Jefferson City Annual Employee Award Luncheon in September, Mayor Carrie Tergin said. Presenting the award at the council meeting gives the community a chance to recognize Williams.
"We're extremely proud of the work Lt. Williams has done for the Jefferson City Police Department over his years of service," Tergin said. "During the tornado, he reached audiences that were very broad, and so many people specifically commented to me about his calm demeanor, the confidence in which he spoke. He did an outstanding job of communicating in a time that was certainly difficult for the community."
The city will engrave Williams' name in a plaque in the city hall lobby, according to the resolution.
His 26-year career began as an entry-level police officer with JCPD in 1993. Looking back, he found it difficult to identify a memory that stood out the most.
Working his way through the ranks, Williams is currently a public information officer assigned to the Office of Professional Standards. The office is responsible for hiring and training the next generation of officers, he said.