INDIANAPOLIS — In Cmdr. Ida Williams' office at IMPD's Community Engagement Bureau at 42nd Street and College Avenue, a portrait of a woman named Emma Baker hangs on the wall.
"Emma Baker was the first African American female hired by IPD in 1918," Williams said.
Williams received the portrait of Baker when she became a captain with IMPD. It was given to her by the department's second African American female police captain.
Williams became the third, before eventually rising to the rank of commander.
"There were so many women that came before me," she said, knowing more will follow.
Williams plans to pass on the portrait of Baker when she gets the chance.
"I can't wait to be able to pass that portrait of Emma Baker to the next captain, African American female captain, so they can hang it in their office," Williams said.
Next month, Williams will retire from a 35-year career with IMPD.
It will be a full-circle moment for Williams when she turns out the lights in her office that's in the same building where she started as a rookie police officer with what was then the Indianapolis Police Department all those years ago.
"It certainly wasn't an easy decision, a lot of prayer, a lot of reflection, but I just really feel that it's time," Williams said of the decision to retire. "The hardest part is leaving an amazing staff."
Hers has been a storied career with IMPD.
In 2021, Williams made history as the first African American female in IMPD's history to graduate from the FBI's National Academy.
"I really feel I was called to this work," said Williams, smiling when she remembers that being a police officer wasn't even on her radar when she graduated from Indiana University with a degree in criminal justice.
"It certainly wasn't a plan A, a plan B or even a plan C," Williams said. "I just knew I was going to law school."
As the saying goes, though, sometimes even with the best laid plans, the future has something in else in store, and it certainly did for Williams.
"I traveled some places I never would have imagined going, had it not been for this uniform and the work that I do," Williams said, recalling that she's been to Central America 11 times in her career to help train police officers to work in schools there to combat gangs.
"This job has been so fulfilling and so rewarding, not just internally, but externally," said Williams, who started "Women Behind the Badge," an initiative to recruit more women to IMPD.
One of those women ended up being IMPD Ofc. Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty in 2020.
"When we think about the highs and lows of this career, she is certainly ... she was certainly one of the ones that you never ever think about something like that happening," said Williams, as tears formed at the corners of her eyes.
Much of Williams' other work through IMPD has revolved around the city's young people.
Three years ago, she created the IMPD Teen Academy to expose kids to a career in public safety.
"Policing is not just putting on a police uniform and answering police calls, but it's a whole array of different roles and responsibilities," Williams said.
Over the years, Williams has also collaborated with Indianapolis Public Schools, doing gun safety and anti-drug programs for students.
That work, she believes, will provide a natural transition to her new role, working for IPS in a newly-created position as director of safety and security.
"I plan to be, knowing that I'm not the police in that role, but I do plan on being in the field and being in the schools and engaging with young people as much as possible," said Williams, who's gotten a chance already to do some of that through the "Lunch Buddies" program.
For the past two years, Williams has had lunch with students at IPS School 43 once a quarter.
"These kids were hugging on us and talking to us because they know that we care. They know we believe in them," Williams explained.
"If I can have 'Lunch Buddies' in every IPS school, I will," Williams said.
In a statement released by IPS earlier this week, the district said Williams will help "prevent and prepare for emergencies" while working with district leaders.
"What I will say is that I'm committed to making sure that we have a plan in place that when things do happen, that we respond effectively and efficiently to resolve issues," Williams said.
IPS recently came under scrutiny, after parents filed a lawsuit, when a video came to light, they say showed their son with special needs, being attacked by another student, while a teacher encouraged the fighting at IPS School 87.
That teacher resigned, and the district announced the principal and assistant principal of School 87 would not be returning next year.
Williams said she plans to be in the schools as much as possible in her new role.
"It's going to take communication and collaboration for all of us to be successful," Williams said.
Williams won't have much time to relax in between her retirement from IMPD and her new role with IPS, which starts three days later.
When it does, Williams says she'll have the support of her friends, her family, her children and her church.
"My friends, my family and my children have been my biggest support system," Williams said. "They're excited, we're about to turn and do the next chapter in our lives."