LEGACY
o r i g i nals
Carl C. Williams by Randall Kinzie
U
sing the words of noted historian Lonn Taylor in his forward for retired sheriff Carl Williams’ book: More than a Badge; Rough Country, the Law and Me, Taylor writes; “To meet him you would never think that 50 years ago he served as the sheriff of the largest and one of the most lawless counties in Texas.” Born in Marfa in 1934, Carl Williams spent his formative years in Presidio, Marfa, Alpine and Fabens, then served 35-plus years in law enforcement. After earning a degree at Sul Ross, Williams became a Deputy Sheriff in El Paso County. Subsequently he was accepted to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Highway Patrolman Academy. Upon gradua58
AUTHENTIC TEXAS
tion from the academy, he was assigned to Van Horn and in the late 1950’s was transferred to Alpine. In 1964 Carl ran and won his first race for the Brewster County Sheriff’s office. In 1970 Carl became one of the first members of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education and moved to Midland where he still resides. Recently I had the opportunity to visit with this authentic “Texas Personality.”
THE MAN Carl Williams was not, by any measure, an imposing Texas sheriff. He’s average in height, average in weight, and most times amicable. Most times. Sheriff Carl Williams was a keeper of the
BREWSTER COUNTY
MOUNTAIN TRAIL REGION
