Draft:Napoleon Williams

Napoleon "Donut" Williams is Chattanooga, Tennessee’s first Black police detective. In a city with nearly 30% of residents being Black, his introduction to the police force back in 1968 was integral to the representation and service of the diverse community.Chattanooga, Tennessee

Early Life
Born to Charlie and Roxie Williams on June 10th, 1940 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He attended Union Hill Baptist Church and graduated from Howard High School in 1958. During his time in high school, he played on the Howard football team and gained his nickname from his coach, Fred White because of his small stature.

“I weighed 180 pounds when I went out there, wet, two overcoats on, and they was running over me like a hole in a donut.” On the team, he met Elbert "Big Man" Howard, one of the six founding members of the Black Panther Party.

Career and Education
Donut graduated from the Federal Narcotic Drug Academy in Miami, Florida in 1968 and joined the Chattanooga Police Department on August 4th, 1968. He became the city’s first African American detective. Prejudiced, other members of the force did not want to work with Williams. He solved two armed robberies on his first day and the feelings of his fellow officers had changed. “The next day I recovered about three TVs from the Holiday Inn on Main Street. All of the other guys said it wasn’t fair. Different officers should work with me. But those in charge said no, you were all given the opportunity.”

Donut earned an associate's degree in criminal justice from Cleveland State Community College in 1974. After serving as a police officer for 18 years, he retired, achieving the milestone of becoming Chattanooga’s first African American Chief of Police. Later, in 1996, he furthered his education by obtaining a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from UTC.

Despite his legacy of integration in the Chattanooga police department and cultivating the importance of officers who understand and are involved in the black community, he sees himself simply as fulfilling a promise to keep his city safe.

Awards and Organizations
Donut served as President of the Howard High School Alumni Association, Co-chair and organizer of the Southside Family Reunion. He was also a part of the Tennessee Black Caucus Retreat, NAACP, and the James F. Kelly. In 2014, Doughnut Williams received the Liberty Bell Award for his public service.

Retirement
Donut has been enjoying the retirement lifestyle and being a DJ. Donut has a radio program on WPTP station 100.1 FM. Usually running with blues music, he plays on Monday afternoons from 4-7 pm. His choice of blues music stems from his childhood growing up in Chattanooga always listening to it, and meeting some of his blues heroes B.B. King and Bobby “Blue” Bland. Although he is no longer serving Chattanooga in the police department, Donut continues to share a bit of his heart with the community.