CAIRO, Ga. – A Georgia community is mourning the loss of a “beloved” police officer who died while “serving the community he so loved.” Master Patrol Officer Clarence “CJ” Williams died Saturday, Jan. 28, while on duty, the Cairo Police Department confirmed.
Law enforcement authorities said Williams was assisting sheriff’s deputies in a foot pursuit Saturday afternoon when he suffered a medical emergency. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into the circumstances surrounding his death, reported the Ledger Enquirer.
“He joined the department in 2020 and quickly gained the respect and love of all that met him,” the Cairo Police Department said in the press release. “Please keep his family in your prayers as we do the same.”
According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, “Officer Williams was assisting a Grady County sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop in the area of 10th Street and Robinson Avenue. The subject fled the vehicle, and the officers pursued him. During the chase, Officer Williams collapsed and was unable to be revived.”
Following news of Williams untimely death, tributes from fellow officers and friends saturated social media. One particular tribute from Travoris Belcher described the fallen officer as “the true definition of a friend.”
“If you Knew my brother CJ Williams you knew his passion for this job,” Belcher reflected. “He never quit when things got rough, he made a way to get over that hump and never looked back.”
A former teacher remembered Williams as a “sweetheart and so respectful.”
“The last time I saw him he thanked me for keeping them in line and that’s going to stick with me,” she noted.
The city of Cairo is located in south Georgia, about about 30 miles north of Tallahassee, Florida.
