Shawny Williams
Shawny Williams is the first African American police chief of the city of Vallejo, California.{{Cite web|author=Breeanna Hare|title=This California city has a history of police using deadly force. Its first Black police chief looks toward reform|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/02/us/vallejo-police-chief-united-shades-of-america/index.html|access-date=2021-05-03|website=CNN}} In September, 2019 Williams was tapped as the next police chief after Chief Andrew Bidou stepped down. He was sworn in as the police chief in November 2019.{{Cite web|last=Kreutz|first=Liz|date=2019-11-13|title='Today is a rebirth:' Vallejo Police Department swears in new police chief amid turmoil|url=https://abc7news.com/5693190/|access-date=2021-05-03|website=ABC7 San Francisco|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=AP|date=2020-10-07|title=Vallejo approves emergency declaration to reform police department|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-07/vallejo-approves-emergency-declaration-to-reform-police-department|access-date=2021-05-03|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}} He has pledged to move the police department in a new direction and to stay transparent and accountable.{{Cite web|last=Sernoffsky|first=Evan|date=2020-09-23|title=Vallejo police chief pledges reform, but community wary after decade of controversial killings|url=https://www.ktvu.com/news/vallejo-police-chief-pledges-reform-but-community-wary-after-decade-of-controversial-killings|access-date=2021-05-03|website=KTVU FOX 2|language=en-US}} By 2020, after a year as police chief, he had instituted a number of reforms including banning choke holds, instituting a mandatory body-worn camera and a clear de-escalation protocol. In September 2020 he announced what he called operation PEACE which is a community program to engage residents more to help solve crimes.
In July 2022, Williams received an official vote of no confidence from the Vallejo Police Officers’ Association.{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Henry |date=2022-07-27 |title=Vallejo police union hands down vote of no-confidence against top cop |url=https://www.ktvu.com/news/vallejo-police-union-hands-down-vote-of-no-confidence-against-top-cop |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=KTVU FOX 2 |language=en-US}}
In November 2022, Williams resigned his position and was paid $408,000 for doing so.{{Cite web |title=2022-10-26 SKW Signed FINAL Resignation and Separation Agreement.pdf - NextRequest - Modern FOIA & Public Records Request Software |url=https://vallejo.nextrequest.com/documents/17530724 |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=vallejo.nextrequest.com}}
It has been claimed that Williams lied under oath (perjury) during his time as Chief of Police. {{Cite web |last=King |first=Laurence Du Sault, Katy St Clair, Geoffrey |date=2021-11-02 |title=Claim alleges false testimony by Vallejo police chief |url=https://openvallejo.org/2021/11/01/claim-alleges-false-testimony-by-vallejo-police-chief/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=Open Vallejo |language=en-US}} If investigated and found to be true, this would decertify Williams by POST and preclude him from being employed by another police agency in California under SB2{{Cite web |title=SB 2 |url=https://post.ca.gov/sb-2 |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=post.ca.gov}}
Prior to becoming the police chief, Williams was with the San Jose Police Department for 26 years and was most recently the head of their investigations division.{{Cite web|date=2019-09-13|title=San Jose Deputy Chief Tapped As New Vallejo Police Chief|url=https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2019/09/13/san-jose-deputy-chief-tapped-as-new-vallejo-police-chief/|access-date=2021-05-03|language=en-US}}
Williams has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Simpson University and a Master of Arts degree from Fort Hays State University in Organizational Leadership. He graduated from the FBI National Academy in 2012.{{Cite web|title=Police Chief Bio|url=https://www.cityofvallejo.net/city_hall/departments___divisions/police/police_chief_bio|access-date=2021-05-03|website=www.cityofvallejo.net|language=en-US}} Williams speaks Spanish.