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Who was Clarence 'CJ' Williams? Cairo PD officer dies while 'serving the community he loved'

Cairo Police Officer Clarence 'CJ' Williams is the second Cairo police officer to die on duty after 1907

CAIRO, GEORGIA: The community is honoring Cairo Police Officer Clarence 'CJ' Williams who died on duty after suffering a “medical episode” during an on-foot pursuit on Saturday, January, 28. CJ was chasing a suspect identified as Raymond Brown, 24, who was wanted for possession of cocaine and two counts of misdemeanor obstruction of officers, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The bureau announced that Brown was in custody as of Monday, January 31, via a Facebook post.

The Cairo Police Department remembered Williams in a Facebook post and said that the officer died “serving the community he so loved.” In another statement, Police Chief Giovannie Santos noted similar details about Williams’ untimely death. Santos told WCTV: "Master Patrol Officer Clarence " J " Williams passed away on-duty last Saturday, January 28′, 2023, while serving his community and doing the profession he so loved." He added: “CJ was the type of person who genuinely cared about making a difference in our community and always approached his duties in that respect. His interest in our youth and his desire to become an officer in the city he grew up in is what stood out the most and is one of the reasons why he became a member of the department."

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“Anyone who was around him and saw him smile, knew just how infectious it was. It would not take you long, and you would quickly find yourself smiling with him as well, no matter how bad of a mood you may have found yourself in. I, along with every individual here at the department, will miss him dearly and all our lives are a little less full without his presence,” Santos said.

First officer to die on duty in 2023

The South Georgia police officer has become the state’s first officer to die in the line of duty in 2023. Moreover, Williams is only the second Cairo police officer ever to die on duty, the first being in 1907, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

'I feel lost without him'

“I feel lost without him; he was a brother to me,” said Ronnie Allen, who considered Williams his best friend, according to WTXL-TV. Williams graduated from Cairo High School in 2017. He used to play football for the Cairo Syrup Makers before joining the Cairo Police Department in 2020.

Michael Best, the Grady County Schools director of student services, remarked that the entire community is feeling the loss. “Just always a bright smile. A good kid, very positive in fact he took the job because he told many people to make a difference in his community,” he said of the late officer, as per the outlet.