Michael Williams appointed Assistant Vice Chancellor for Campus Safety and Security and TCAT Chief of Police

The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) has approved the appointment of Michael D. Williams as the College System of Tennessee’s new assistant vice chancellor for campus safety and security and chief of police of the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology.

TBR Chancellor Flora W. Tydings swore Williams into office Friday, June 17, during the Board of Regents’ quarterly meeting, held at Columbia State Community College.

Chief Williams previously served as chief of police services for Fairfield Glade for seven years where he directed a staff of 13 sworn officers, three civilian staff members and seven auxiliary volunteers. Prior to this, he served as director of police services for the Tennessee Highway Patrol Protective Services Division of the state Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

“As a career law enforcement officer and father of college-aged children, I know that the safety and security of our students, staff, faculty and visitors is of utmost importance to not only our state, but to our nation,” said Chief Williams. “I am honored that the Chancellor and Board have given me this opportunity and I look forward to implementing strategies to enhance the safety of our campuses across Tennessee.”

In his new role, Chief Williams will be responsible for ensuring public safety across all College System of Tennessee campuses – with the primary responsibility of developing a new statewide TCAT police department and serving as its chief of police. In addition, he will be responsible for providing law enforcement training to all community and technical college campus police officers and will assure that strategies are implemented to achieve long- and short-term goals.

Chief Williams served in the United States Marine Corps for eight years before beginning his career in law enforcement as a reserve deputy in Robertson County, then taking a full-time position in the dispatch office and swiftly becoming promoted to road deputy. He then received an appointment to the Tennessee Highway Patrol Training Academy and was assigned to the Cookeville Highway Patrol District upon graduation. While at Cookeville, he was a K9 handler while he served on both the district strike team and the district criminal interdiction plus team. Later, Chief Williams was promoted to sergeant and transferred to Robertson County to serve as trooper and supervisor for the Nashville Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Weigh Station. In 2012 he was transferred to the newly formed Capitol Protection Unit overseeing over 25 state troopers, capitol police and civilian staff. He was transferred to the Protective Service Division in 2014 where he was placed in charge of police services for state properties.

Chief Williams earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Liberty University and is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police and Staff Command. He holds numerous training instructor certificates and is a member of the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.