Roxbury Constable Stephen Williamson poses with his Lifetime Achievement Award for 56 years of service in law enforcement. Williamson will serve as the Grand Marshal of Sunday’s annual Flag Day Parade in Stamford.
GRAND GORGE – No one will dispute that Roxbury Constable Stephen "Steve" Williamson, widely known by his call letters as 4-4-3 (Fawr-Fawr-Three, as he pronounces them), has dedicated his life to the selfless service of others while wearing his badge.
I use the word service, because in Williamson's mind, that is policing. He epitomizes community policing and has ever since he first pinned a badge. He understands the value of knowing his patrol area and the people in it. If there is something going on in the community, you can bet he will drop in. He visits senior citizen gatherings, fire departments and is a regular at school activities and sporting events. He directs traffic to support local fire and EMS over a wide area, serves as a school crossing guard, directs traffic for funerals and many other activities, including weddings and church services.
He has been there 24/7 for everyone in the good times and the bad. If someone should mention to him that they are concerned about someone, he goes and checks to make sure all is well. There is example after example of his dedication and the lengths to which he will go to “protect and serve”.
The late Tom Hynes, who was supervisor for the town of Roxbury for 36 years, praised Williamson for the fact that "He's on top of things before they get out of line. He's just a great asset to the town of Roxbury."
Williamson started his tenure with the town of Roxbury on September 19, 1979.
In 2016, the Delaware County Committee of the American Legion presented him with the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award for his exemplary career as lauded by many other law enforcement officials who had also spent many years behind a badge. At the time of the presentation, he had been behind his badge for more than 45 years. He is now at 56 years and counting.
He has assisted other police agencies in investigating countless cases and he has, without hesitation, responded from his own township to other townships throughout Delaware County and neighboring counties to provide back up when other officers have needed assistance. Thomas Mills, who worked with Williamson as a trooper, a state police investigator and then as sheriff, once said he believes Williamson has solved more crimes than many investigators.
He has helped out in national disasters, working out of the Javits Center during 9/11 to shuttle people to Ground Zero and in New Orleans, after Hurricane Katrina, he helped coordinate delivery of supplies to command posts. He helped with security and moving people and supplies during flooding in 1986, 1996 and hurricanes Irene and Sandy. Williamson transferred to the Schoharie County Sheriff's Office before working with the railroad police and patrolling in Margaretville, Fleischmanns and Andes, in addition to serving the town of Roxbury.
He was just 22 in the summer of 1970 when he first put on his badge. He was just a couple of years out of high school when he began his law enforcement career as a deputy with the Delaware County Sheriff's Office on June 3, 1970. He wasn't sure what direction he was headed in until Herbert VanValkenburgh, a longtime supervisor for the town of Roxbury, stopped him on the street one day and asked him what he had planned. VanValkenburgh had watched the Williamson twins as an avid sports fan. He asked Williamson if he had ever thought about being a cop and told him a new class was about to start at the law enforcement academy. Williamson signed up to attend the academy and applied to the Delaware County Sheriff's Office.
Current Sheriff Craig DuMond said, "As everyone knows, Steve Williamson is a law enforcement icon in Delaware County. His more than 50 years in law enforcement represents a legacy of service longer than many current law enforcement officers in Delaware County have been alive. Many police officers in Delaware County lean on Steve for his wealth of knowledge and comprehensive information concerning Roxbury and the surrounding areas. These relationships have resulted in an untold number of crimes solved and victims assisted. Further, Constable Williamson was a founding member of the Delaware County Mounted Patrol and it has been an honor and privilege to ride with him over the years."
Williamson started his tenure under Sheriff Levon A, Telian and is now on his fifth sheriff.
Williamson loves horses, a love he developed from growing up on the Powell farm. He has ridden as a mounted patrol in countless parades and is a longtime member of the county's mounted patrol. He is a member of the original 1972 posse formed by Telian. It was disbanded in 1986, but Williamson continued to use his horse in community parades and at community functions. When Sheriff DuMond reactivated the mounted patrol, Steve was the first to take the certification course along with his youngest son, Josh. DuMond will tell you Williamson is the best person to ride with in a parade, because he is a celebrity, no matter where they travel.
Williamson's horses have served as valuable public relations tools with many a child hoisted into the saddle during a community event or after a parade. It is part of his establishing a rapport with young people. He still mourns the loss of his first horse, Jake. Then there was Apollo, Lonestar and Tommy, named after beloved Delaware County Sheriff's Office dispatcher and deputy, the late Tom Avery. Williamson and Avery were very close. Now there is Wyatt.
No matter a person's age or status, they feel comfortable talking to Williamson. He has a good rapport with teens, often steering them away from trouble. And that is perhaps is the most valuable characteristic Williamson possesses, his ability to gain people's trust and to fend off trouble before it starts. Because he knows people and he has a way of dealing with them, it allows him to talk them out of trouble.
“He has a personality that allows him to get along with people," said Mills. "He could relate to them in many instances. He has been a good public servant in my book.” Mills has known Williamson over his own 40-year tenure as a law enforcement officer. He also mentioned that Williamson often got information that would help stop things before they happened.
Williamson has traveled in his personal vehicle to deliver dog food and groceries to a couple stranded on the top of a mountain following a heavy snowstorm. He saw that they got off the mountain safely when they didn't dare drive their own vehicle down the snow-filled mountain path. He has touched many people over his tenure and there has been testimonial after testimonial of how Williamson has helped people in one way or another.
Overlooking the Powell farm where he and his twin brother, Stan, grew up, he tells about Lena Powell who he and his brother lovingly referred to as a "granny". She picked them up from a foster home at the age of 5 and brought them to the Powell farm where they grew up. "She did a good job," Williamson said, in raising them. Indeed, she did, Williamson has always cared about and looked to help others. Despite any pranks the boys may have played growing up - the Williamson twins turned out okay. Dottie Pickett remembers they both served as altar boys at the St. Phillip Neri Church in Grand Gorge.
Williamson will be the Grand Marshal in this Sunday’s Flag Day Parade. He has ridden in the parade many times and always stops in at the Stamford Fire Department afterwards to grab a bite and talk to the firefighters gathered. He is an honorary member of the department and has been their friend. When there was a large fire in Stamford three years ago, he showed up to help with traffic. Bill Sharick will tell you he was very relieved to have Williamson help.
"I worked with Steve for a number of years when I was in the District Attorney's Office," said Delaware County Judge John Hubbard. "He demonstrated a care for the community. He looked at situations he dealt with with consideration for everyone that was involved. He was able in many cases to diffuse situations."
Matt Gombosi said he has known Steve Williamson over his 24-year law enforcement career. "He genuinely cares and has become an integral part of the surrounding community. He has built trusts, which takes many years, with the community. He knows everyone and everyone knows him. He's the 'Go to Person'.
"He's a 'Superstar' on patrol at the Delaware County Fair. Everyone asks for a picture with him. I can say that through first-hand experience walking around the fairgrounds with him.
"He is an invaluable source of information. He collaborates with local, county and state agencies.
"He's been in every home in the Roxbury area. If something happens and you need to get answers, Steve will get them. He's that one of a kind legend. No one can ever fill his shoes."
He is definitely a legend and many people have expressed gratitude that he is being honored as grand marshal of the parade and last Saturday by the Mountain Eagle Newspaper and the Stamford Fire Department with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
“He is one of the most recognized law enforcement officers in our region, state, and country. He understands the needs of the communities he serves. He bridges relationships between law enforcement, the fire service, and community. He’s caring, compassionate, ethical, and highly respected. He has served during many difficult missions within our county, state, and nation. He responded to times of need during devastating flooding in Delaware and Greene counties during Hurricane Irene. He assisted with the aid provided to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He responded to NYC after our country was attacked and assisted at Ground Zero on 9/11. There are thousands of other stories, and people that have received his help over his career. There is no doubt that Steven Williamson is the most deserving of this Lifetime Achievement Award.,” said Stamford Fire Chief Don VanEtten. “He is also a 50-plus member of the fire service.”
“Through the years, Constable Williamson has represented his town and agency with pride. It will be very difficult to encapsulate his 56 years of service into one article,” said Liz Page, who assisted in the presentation along with Mountain Eagle Publisher Matt Avitabile.
The Stamford Fire Department is very proud to have Steve Williamson serve as this year’s Grand Marshal. He will be escorted by Sheriff Craig DuMond and District Attorney Shawn Smith, as well as the very proud members of his family.
Honoring Constable Stephen Williamson with a Lifetime Achievement Award during their June 6 Installation Dinner and Banquet are members of the Stamford Fire Department and The Mountain Eagle Newspaper, as well as Assemblyman Chris Tague. Pictured from left are: EMS Chief Karen Cole, Second Assistant Fire Chief Joe Hornbeck, Chief Don VanEtten, Steve Williamson, Liz Page and Matt Avitabile, The Mountain Eagle Newspaper.
The Citation from the New York State Assembly and Senate, presented by Assemblyman Chris Tague to Steve Williamson for his lifetime of achievement as a law enforcement officer.
The list of citations Steve Williamson has received over his 56-year tenure as a law enforcement officer.
