DHS Police Chief Awarded For Ethical Courage
Patrick A. Williams, Chief of Police for the Desert Hot Springs Police Dept., was awarded the Award for Ethical Courage at the California Police Officer’s Assoc. Leadership Summit in San Diego this week.
The summit honored several law enforcement professionals from across the state for acts of outstanding accomplishment, courage and bravery.
“The Award of Ethical Courage is designed to recognize the law enforcement professional whose actions have most demonstrated the personal courage to ‘do the right thing,'” the association said. “despite adversity or popular opinion to the contrary. It is intended to commend and spotlight individuals who do not confuse “silence” with “loyalty and integrity” and who have the strength of character to withstand the criticism and accept the personal risks associated with their decisions.”
At the luncheon, officers were presented with the following reasons for Williams’ selection:
Chief Patrick Williams has demonstrated great strength of character since taking over the leadership of the Police Department of DHS almost three years ago.Chief Williams was the tenth Chief in as many years for the agency. The leadership void and operational challenges of the agency were evident from the beginning of his assignment?he was sure to be tested.Chief Williams has since served the community of DHS with unmatched integrity. His personal courage to do the right thing despite adversity has healed old wounds within both the city government and the developing agency. He has taken personal risks in his decisions to improve the agency beyond even the most optimistic of outlooks. He leads from his heart while modeling the utmost courage to make deep and lasting positive changes to our staff, our city, and surrounding communities.These changes have come with significant scrutiny. There have been difficult staffing decisions and changes in long-standing policies and procedures. During these times, Chief Williams has never lost sight of the ultimate goal of creating an agency that provides the best professional service to a community that has truly embraced the positive changes they are now seeing within the Department. In some cases, it might have been much easier to consider a lower standard of performance or accountability but Chief Williams would simply never compromise his own ethics let alone tolerate anyone else who would. He has shown great commitment to the agency and the community through steady, ethical courage.
