Ofc. William Jones Retirement

On the 31st of January, 2017 William Jones will retire from the London Police Department. He’s been in law enforcement for 20 years and has worked at the London Police Dept. for six years as a night shift officer.

“Since I was a little kid I always wanted to be a police officer and help people,” he said.

He began his career as a bailiff in the courtroom, became a road deputy, then a park ranger, and finally a night shift officer. In addition, he taught D.A.R.E. for about five years at Bush, CampGround, and Sublimity Elementary Schools.

1. What’s been memorable about your career in law enforcement?

Working on the night shift you see the more serious complaints, the life altering events for people. Through those experiences I’ve learned how to handle a variety of situations with a high level of stress. I’ve also seen a lot of wrecks with fatalities and it has changed the way I drive. With new technologies everyone is constantly distracted. I want to stress how important it is to pay attention to the road, because your phone can always wait.

2. What advice would you give to young officers or people thinking about a career in law enforcement?

Being a police officer is rewarding. The most important thing about being an officer is that you’re helping people. It’s especially rewarding when you’re helping children. There is a lot of sacrifice when it comes to time with your family. While most are at home during the holidays, the police are at work.

3. Has policing changed over the years since you started in law enforcement?

Technology has changed the way policing is done. I started out with no computers in the cruisers, now, officers have laptops and printers in the vehicles. Officers also carry a bodycam on them at all times. There’s also more community policing today – and that’s a good thing. Community policing gives the public a little more insight into what their local police department is doing.

4. What will you miss most about the London Police Department?

I’ll miss hanging out with the guys and telling our stories. The London Police Department is a good place to work, it’s very professional and that’s what makes them stand out. They’re proactive in answering calls, patrolling, and their response time.