ECC's 'The Chief' Retires
This article describes James Williams, one of the first campus police officers at East Carolina. At the end of the article is a listing of ECU campus police chiefs. This and other articles may be found in the University Archives.
Citation for this article is: "ECC's 'The Chief' Retires," Raleigh News and Observer, August 17, 1953.
GREENVILLE, Aug. 16 - J. Louis Williams Jr., has officially retired as campus officer at East Carolina College after a tenure of almost 37 years of service. Williams is 68, born Friday, Feb. 13, 1884, two miles from Greenville, and plans to "catch up on some needed rest."
Williams first served as police officer for a short while in 1917, and began a term which has continued unbroken on Jan. 1, 1918, upon appointment of East Carolina's first president, Dr. Robert H. Wright. He has served under five presidents including the current president, Dr. J. D. Messick. There were only five building on the campus and the student body of around 300 students when Williams started his career as guardian of life and property at this college. Now there are 25 building on the 130-acre campus.
Only three brief abscences due to illness have called for a "time out" for the veteran officer and few days of vacation leave have been taken by Williams.
College offcials have praised Williams for his faithful service and his loyalty to his position. Known by thousands of former students and by professors, he has a wide acquaintance in Eastern North Carolina.
Williams is affectionately known as "The Chief." He said his plans are to stay at home and enjoy the rest of his life with his wife who has spent thousands of nights as a "career widow." Mr. and Mrs. Williams have a daughter, Mrs. George L. Springs, ECC graduate in the class of 1938, who resides with her husband and young son in Morehead City.
"Chief" Williams chuckled at the mention of the number "13." Born on a Friday the Thirteenth, he was married on Feb. 13, 1907, and after 11 years residence in Kinston moving back to Greenville on Feb. 13, 1913, and resides at the corner of 13th and Forbes streets here in a house with 13 windows and 13 doors.
He is the third of three original East Carolina officials to resign here this spring. The other two were Miss Ola Ross, assistant registrar, and Miss Annie Redwine, primary teacher in the campus training school.
Campus Police Chiefs
1917-1953 - James "Pop" Williams
1955/56 -1970/71 - Johnnie Harrell*
1971/72-1973/74 - James Calder
1975/76-1985/86 - Francis Eddings
1986/87-1989/90 - Johnny Rose
1990/91-1992/93 - James DuPuy
1993/94 - Ronnie Avery
1994/95-2001/02 - Teresa Crocker
2002/03-present - Robert Stroud
*There are no telephone directories extant prior to 1955/56. Johnnie Harrell may have served as police chief in the two years after James Williams retired. In 1955/56 the telephone directory reveals that Johnnie Harrell and Elwood Pittman were the two police officers working. They reported to James Rogerson, the assistant superintendent of buildings and grounds. In the 1956/57 telephone directory there are four policemen listed: William Flake, Johnnie Harrell, Elwood Pittman and James Rogerson. None is singled out as chief.
