An open letter to the residents of Johnson City
Our community, and especially those harmed by Sean Williams, have gone through an extremely difficult time. Today, we are focused on moving forward. An essential step in that process is simply talking about what happened. We have all been very frustrated, along with some of our community members, that a protective order has greatly restricted our ability to discuss this issue. Although one legal case has been resolved, two more are still pending, so we still have limitations on what we can share. But this letter and this webpage are our attempt to begin that dialogue.
OurPoliceDepartment
It’s clear to us today that there were shortcomings in some police department investigations. But those shortcomings do not amount to corruption. On March 27, 2025, District Attorney General Steve Finney announced that investigations by both the FBI and TBI found no credible evidence of any criminal misconduct by any member of the Johnson City Police Department. This was welcome news for all of us, including the entirely new leadership that serves our Police Department today. The new command staff has implemented a number of improvements over the past two years that include:
• Following General Finney’s sexual assault protocol and creating a vastly improved process for investigating sexual assaults.
• Establishing new safeguards with higher accountability and oversight of all investigations.
• A new Special Victims Unit that investigates each sexual assault case.
• Trauma-informed training for all officers to ensure victims are treated with the appropriate care and concern.
• A comfortable space at the Johnson City/Washington County Family Justice Center for sexual assault victim interviews to ensure they feel safe through the investigative process - a top priority for our department.
Settlement
Many community members have asked, “Why did we settle for $28 million?” The answer is simple. When you combine the graphic videos of Sean Williams’ horrible crimes with his astronomical number of victims and the shortcomings in some police department investigations, you risk a verdict at trial that could have been disastrous. One of our commitments as your Commissioners is to be good stewards of tax dollars. Even though $28 million is a large number, that settlement protected the City from paying much more at trial. In this class action lawsuit, we were at risk of a verdict more than the City’s entire annual budget –which would have been financially catastrophic.
TheVictims
Our hearts go out to each and every person affected by the horrible acts of the monster who was in our midst. Sean Williams was solely responsible for his crimes, and he has been rightfully convicted. We hope the settlement provides an opportunity for healing for the victims. To any others who did not receive the best possible service in the past from our department, we are deeply sorry. We have made significant and meaningful improvements to ensure that is never the case, ever again.
Many of you have read or heard about salacious news stories depicting what happened here. The reality of what occurred is tragic enough without dramatic embellishments and fantastical conspiracies that are baseless. In some cases, facts and details that don’t fit a cinematic narrative are conveniently left out. These skewed versions of the story do not serve our community – nor the victims.
ABrighterFuture
The investments and efforts made to ensure a better future are significant. This is a tale of two Police Departments: The one before this horrific case and the new and improved one that - thanks to a major overhaul - is better equipped to keep us safe today.
Johnson City has so much to be proud of. This dark chapter does not define us. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to serve.
