Nat Williams facts for kids

Nathaniel "Nat" Williams (born May 18, 1956) is an American law enforcement officer. He is the current sheriff of St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. He made history by becoming the first African American ever elected to this important position in the parish.

Nathaniel Williams: A Community Leader

Nathaniel Williams was born in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. He finished high school there. He then went on to train at the Louisiana State University Basic Training Academy in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He also received special training from the D.E.A..

Williams started working for the Sheriff's Department on May 8, 1990. He began as a patrolman, which is an officer who patrols an area. He worked hard and moved up through different roles. Eventually, he became the Chief of Operations.

Becoming Sheriff

Before becoming sheriff, Williams was the chief criminal deputy sheriff. This means he was a top assistant to the sheriff, helping with criminal investigations. In early 2007, the elected sheriff resigned. Williams was then appointed as the acting sheriff.

Later that year, in October 2007, he ran in the primary election for sheriff. He won the election with 51.6% of the votes. He was chosen over four other candidates.

Plans for the Community

When Nathaniel Williams became sheriff, he knew there had been some challenges in the sheriff's office in the past. He made it clear that any future problems would not be allowed.

Sheriff Williams has shared his plans to improve the community. He wants to build a new jail that can hold 150 people. He also plans to add more deputies to patrol the roads. This will help them respond faster when people need help. He also wants to increase efforts to make sure people follow speed limits on highways.