MILWAUKEE — “When something like this happens… it really strikes hard. It really hits deep,” said retired Milwaukee Police Captain Andra Williams, reflecting on the death of Officer Kendall Corder.
Williams spent nearly three decades with the Milwaukee Police Department, mentoring young officers like Corder — officers who, he says, all share a common goal: getting home safely at the end of their shift.
“For that officer to be taken — that is somebody very positive that’s been taken away from the community,” Williams said.
Officer Corder’s death is not just a tragedy—it's a painful mark. He is the first African American officer from MPD to be killed in the line of duty in almost 30 years.
Williams is a member of the League of Martin — a national organization supporting and empowering Black officers.
“It’s a resource, a sounding board, and somebody who can truly understand and relate,” Williams said of the group. “The whole purpose is trying to build a bridge and understanding between the department and the community.”
That connection between officer and community, he says, matters. Representation also matters—both inside the department and on the streets.
“Any officer can handle a situation, but having an officer that looks like you… sometimes goes a little bit further in helping resolve it.”
Williams joined the force at just 21 years old. He knows the challenges officers face, and his heart is now with the family of Officer Kendall Corder.
“They instilled something in this young man that made him want to go out here and help other people,” he said. “They raised a good man.”
Through grief, Williams shared a message for Corder’s loved ones:
“It’s unfortunate. I wish them all the strength and prayers that they’re going to need.”
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