Virginia Conservation Police Senior Officer Kenneth R. Williams has been selected for the prestigious honor of The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) Boating Officer of the Year for 2016.
Senior Officer Williams’ outstanding efforts in boating safety education and boating law enforcement, as well as his dedication to training as a member of the Boating Cadre, were all an integral part of his selection. Williams is assigned to Northumberland County.
“Ken engages in numerous boater education opportunities in and around the Northern Neck of Virginia, where he uses his expertise to provide instruction and education to the public. His knowledge and understanding of the boating laws make him a very effective enforcement officer as well as an instructor and mentor for our new officers,” said Major Scott Naff, Law Enforcement Assistant Chief of Operations for DGIF.
Senior Officer Williams has served the boating community in the Virginia’s Northern Neck since 2006. He conducted 35 on-water boat patrols and 101 boat inspections on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries in a five-county area in 2016. Williams is a certified criminal justice instructor and serves on the agency’s boating training cadre. Officer Williams led his district with 30 boating arrests, 5 of which were alcohol related.
During 2016, Williams also assisted emergency management personnel with inventorying debris and placing hazard markers in the Rappahannock River in the aftermath of a tornado; assisted the Virginia Port Authority when a cargo ship lost a portion of its load in the Chesapeake Bay; and he responded to a distress call in the Coan River that resulted in the rescue of a sailboat operator through rough waters and extreme wind chill.
NASBLA is a national nonprofit organization that works to develop public policy for recreational boating safety.