[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 86 (Friday, May 17, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H3342]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CONGRATULATING DONNY WILLIAMS, BERTINA KING, AND ALAN JONES

  (Mrs. SYKES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. SYKES. Mr. Speaker, this Police Week I rise to recognize three 
incredibly dedicated veteran detectives of the Akron Police Department 
who will be retiring from the force.
  Detectives Bertina King, Alan Jones, and Donny Williams have served 
the Akron community for 33 years each for a combined total of 99 years 
of experience.
  The trio started on the job together in 1991, and, since then, they 
have each left their own personal mark on the department.
  Detective King made history as the first Black woman to join APD's 
major crimes unit. She also helped establish the sexual assault nurse 
examiner unit at the former St. Thomas Hospital to provide survivors of 
sexual assault with culturally sensitive and trauma-informed evaluation 
and treatment.
  Recently, she led the effort to create the department's sexual 
assault kit initiative to investigate unsolved rape cases to bring 
justice to survivors.
  Detective Jones is a part of the street narcotics uniform detail, 
which works to protect our communities from guns and drugs. He was also 
the first Black canine handler in the unit with his dog Midnight.
  Finally, Detective Williams is the longest-serving member of the 
street narcotics unit starting just 1 year after the unit was created 
in 1992.
  All three detectives have worked on high-profile cases and helped 
bring dangerous criminals to justice. This trio has exemplified what it 
means to serve our city with dignity and respect and have demonstrated 
the power of having a force that reflects and represents the community 
they are sworn to protect and serve.
  We thank them for their many years of service and wish them the best 
in their well-deserved retirement.

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