The new Phoenix Police Chief was formally introduced to the public Thursday. Jeri Williams, who had been a member of the Phoenix Police department for 22 years before leaving to become chief in Oxnard, California, will be the first female to the lead the department when she takes over from Chief Joe Yahner after his October retirement.
Williams spoke with KJZZ's Stina Sieg about:
Protests in response to killing of black men
"The unique dynamic of law enforcement is we're the only profession that even when you're protesting us, we're are there to protect you and your right to peacefully assemble."
Police-community relations
"We all bear some responsibility for the dynamics going on in our country right now. As law enforcement and community as one, because I don't think we're separate. We've lost the ability to have face-to-face conversations like you and I are having now."
Phoenix's suspected serial killer
"We're going to continue to do what the Phoenix Police department is doing now. I have the utmost confidence in the abilities of those detectives and those law enforcement officers who are seeking justice for those victims."
"To me, someone knows something. So we need that person to come out, even if it's anonymously, through silent witness, to make those connections so our detectives can do what they need to do and we will find who's responsible."
