Board Director
AXON
AL
Jeri Williams is a 33-year law enforcement professional and was the first female chief of police in two cities. She began her career with the Phoenix Police Department and retired in October 2022 after serving as chief of police for six years at the Phoenix Police Department. In 2011, Jeri was appointed to chief of police at the Oxnard Police Department in Oxnard, California. While there she worked to increase police community relations and deployed body worn cameras department-wide. Chief Williams was involved with the California Police Chief’s Association where she served on the Board and led the Training Committee. In 2016, Chief Williams was named the first female police chief of the Phoenix Police Department; the fifth largest municipal police department in the United States. While there, Chief Williams managed staffing and budgetary issues and was responsible for the furtherance of police and community relations. Additionally, Chief Williams pushed...
Jeri Williams is a 33-year law enforcement professional and was the first female chief of police in two cities. She began her career with the Phoenix Police Department and retired in October 2022 after serving as chief of police for six years at the Phoenix Police Department.
In 2011, Jeri was appointed to chief of police at the Oxnard Police Department in Oxnard, California. While there she worked to increase police community relations and deployed body worn cameras department-wide. Chief Williams was involved with the California Police Chief’s Association where she served on the Board and led the Training Committee.
In 2016, Chief Williams was named the first female police chief of the Phoenix Police Department; the fifth largest municipal police department in the United States. While there, Chief Williams managed staffing and budgetary issues and was responsible for the furtherance of police and community relations. Additionally, Chief Williams pushed the department to develop and establish better contacts with police and those experiencing mental health challenges.
During her tenure in Phoenix, Chief Williams implemented a number of reform measures intended to bring about transparency and accountability. She deployed body worn cameras to nearly 3,000 officers. She implemented documenting when officers point their weapons at members of the community. During the protests of 2020, Chief Williams adopted 8Can’tWait strategies to minimize police violence. Chief Williams advocated for the mental health of her officers and increased the mental health capacities to assist all police employees.
Chief Williams became the first female President of the Major Cities Chief’s Association (MCCA) winning that election unopposed. Chief Williams is Faculty for the Police Executive Leadership Institute (PELI) that the MCCA supports.
Chief Williams joined the AXON Board of Directors in 2023. She has served on several committees to include: Enterprise & Risk and the Audit Committee. Currently, she is a member of the Nomination & Governing Committee and the Board Liaison for the Ethics & Equity Advisory Council.
