Chief Joe Williams
Joe Williams served in the United States Marine Corps from 1984 to 1992. His law enforcement service began with the Yuma County, Arizona Sheriff’s Department from 1990 to 1994; and, continued with the Frisco, Texas Police Department from 1994 to 2007, where he rose from Patrol Officer to Captain, Commander of the Operations Bureau. He was appointed Police Chief with the Celina, Texas Police Department in 2007. In June 2011, he served as a Deputy City Manager and Police Chief for McKinney, Texas until his retirement in 2014. Williams reentered law enforcement in January 2017, with his appointment as Police Chief with the Rusk Police Department.
Williams is past President of the East Texas Police Chief’s Association; Program Manager and an assessor for the Texas Police Chief’s Association Accreditation Program. He has held a Master Peace Office certification since 2003. He is a Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) Certified Instructor and Firearms Instructor. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (Session 222), the Leadership Command College of LEMIT, and the School of Police Supervision’s Institute for Law Enforcement Administration.
He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), Texas Police Chiefs Association (TPCA), FBI National Academy Associates (FBINAA), and Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT). He earned a master’s degree in Criminal Justice Leadership and Management from Sam Houston State University, and a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Midwestern State University.