When Vicksburg police Capt. Sandra Williams is out to lunch with her subordinate officers, people usually ask if she’s the secretary.

Williams, a 23-year veteran of VPD, is typically in plain clothes and doesn’t have her service pistol strapped to her hip. It’s almost always a shock to whomever asked, she said, when they find out she’s the boss.

“People don’t expect it,” Williams said. “It’s been a male-dominated role.”

Williams made history last month when she was officially promoted to the captain in charge of VPD’s criminal investigations division. She is the first woman to hold the position and the highest-ranking woman in the department’s history.

“It’s an honor have the opportunity to serve in this position and I hope it inspires other females in law enforcement to keep pushing forward,” she said.

As captain, Williams is supervisor of investigations, narcotics, juvenile investigations, crime scene and the city’s community resource officers.

“It’s a very demanding and stressful position. It’s a huge responsibility,” she said.

Williams, who grew up in the China Grove community, began working at VPD in 1991 as a patrol officer. Her family rarely called law enforcement unless there was loose livestock in the road, she said.

“There was a lot I needed to see and a lot I needed to learn about. Through law enforcement, I learned that the world was a much bigger place than I had grown up in,” she said.

On one of her first burglary calls, she said, she was so surprised that someone would actually break into a building and steal something.

“Every now and then you think you’ve seen it all, and then something else happens,” she said. “I’m not surprised though. Things don’t surprise me any more. I’m well past that.”

After about three years on patrol, Williams went into Crime Prevention where she taught Gang Resistance Education and Training to junior high school students. With her familiarity with the school system, she transitioned into juvenile investigations.

In 2000 Williams was promoted to sergeant.

“I wanted to go into traffic and once I passed the exam, the chief put me in criminal investigations,” she said.

She’s been investigating felony cases ever since.

“Her experience and leadership skills are a plus — the position that she’s in and the groundwork that she’s gone though to get to that position. It’s really a joy to work with her,” said VPD Lt. Troy Kimble, who is assistant chief of investigations under Williams. “She’s not only a good person but she’s a good leader and also a good police officer.”

Before Chief Walter Armstrong took over in 2009, promotions in the department had been stagnant. In 2011, officers were promoted for the first time in nearly a decade. In that round of testing and promotions, Williams became a lieutenant.

When Bobby Stewart, the former captain in charge of investigations was promoted to deputy chief in 2013, Williams was made temporary head of the division.

“When Chief Armstrong made the decision to promote me to this position temporarily I was grateful for the opportunity,” Williams said.

The biggest focus for Williams is making sure crimes in the city are solved.

“We have a really good group of investigators and our goal is to solve the crimes that have been committed in our community,” Williams said.

Since Armstrong took office in 2009, almost all categories of violent crime have decreased, and nearly every violent crime, including rapes and murders, have been solved.

Arresting felony suspects is important, but Williams said, the work is not fruitful unless there is a conviction.

That’s where the less glamorous part of police work — and the largest portion of Williams’ responsibility — comes in.

Each VPD investigator averages 15 to 25 felony cases per month, which means that there is an awful lot of paperwork coming though Williams’ office.

She is the manager of felony case files and makes sure there is enough evidence in place that the District Attorney’s Office can secure a conviction, she said. About 65 VPD cases are presented to each session of the Warren County grand jury.

“The goal is to be able to come up with a system where case files can be maintained and easily accessible,” she said.

Williams’ paperwork responsibilities also extend to the U.S. government where she serves in a Navy intelligence unit.

“Sometimes it can be overwhelming because I have a mountain of paperwork with this job and months I go to drill weekend, I’m not looking forward to another mountain of paperwork,” she said.