photo by: Lawrence Police Department

Brad Williams in 2018.

The law enforcement certification of a former Lawrence police officer and Douglas County sheriff’s deputy has been revoked after he was found to have engaged in sexually biased policing and to be lacking in moral character.

Brad Williams worked for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office from March 2011 through May 2017 and at the Lawrence Police Department from May 2017 through Jan. 6, 2021, when he resigned.

The Kansas Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (KSCPOST) issued a recommendation for a revocation of his certification on March 8, 2022, as reported by the Journal-World, and on Dec. 1, 2022, that revocation was made official, citing biased policing and a violation of good moral character.

“Williams’ conduct shows he engaged in conduct constituting racial or other biased based policing when he unreasonably used gender in deciding to initiate enforcement action,” according to the revocation report from KSCPOST.

While Williams worked as a Lawrence police officer, he was found to have disproportionately targeted women when enforcing alcohol violations such as minor in possession.

Williams was also alleged to have harassed exotic dancers while working as a sheriff’s deputy — behavior that reportedly resulted in Williams’ supervisor’s phone number being written on a bathroom wall at a local adult entertainment club with advice for women to call that supervisor if they were having trouble with Williams, according to the report.

“Williams’ conduct show(s) he lacks the personality quality of integrity, that he engaged in conduct that violated public trust and failed to uphold the oath required for certification to uphold the laws of the state,” according to the report.

Williams resigned from the Lawrence Police Department on Jan. 6, 2021, amid a lawsuit against the city that accused him of excessive force when arresting a skateboarder in 2019. The skateboarder, Duc Tran, is suing the city for $3 million. A trial is scheduled in the case on March 13, 2023, according to court records.

The full report from KSCPOST:

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