Residents and former chief urge council after removal of Jacksonville police chief

Scott Brewer, a Jacksonville resident, urged the City Council to reinstate Joe Williams after the former police chief’s removal and to avoid a protracted search for new leadership.

Brewer said he had worked with Williams and credited a subsequent, short-term heavy police presence for cleaning up criminal activity at the city beach. “I chose to be part of the solution,” Brewer said, noting he personally helped clean the shoreline and participated in Community Police Academy classes. He told the council he was “saddened to hear the news that he had been removed from his position, without a voice from the citizens” and asked the council to reinstate Williams or, at minimum, “not search for another chief” and to consider making interim chief Markowski permanent if Williams is not reinstated.

Joe Williams, who spoke after Brewer, thanked the community and Jacksonville Police Department employees for five years of service and recounted departmental accomplishments including reductions in crime, code enforcement improvements, operation of an animal shelter and accreditation from the Texas Police Chiefs Association. “Through tireless efforts, we significantly reduced crime, taken drug dealers off the streets ... and brought the community together for events like national night out where 9,000 people filled our downtown,” Williams said. He described his public service philosophy and said the “current situation will resolve itself in time,” without providing specifics about personnel decisions.

The remarks occurred during the council’s citizen participation period, which the mayor said is a time for the council to listen rather than engage in a dialogue. No council motion or formal action on Williams’s employment status was recorded during the meeting; the council recessed into executive session later in the agenda to discuss personnel matters.