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He traded in his helmet for a shield.<\/p>\n
Former NFL player Dominique Williams will soon suit up for the NYPD now that he has graduated from the police academy, officials said.<\/p>\n
Being part of the police department was always Williams\u2019 goal. He just joined the roster a little sooner than he planned.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a lot of structure, and I\u2019ve been doing that structure discipline thing my whole life in sports,\u201d Williams said in an interview posted to the NYPD\u2019s Instagram account. \u201cYou have that structure to understand and help and guide you to be a better police officer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Williams, 29, was a standout at Washington State University, where he majored in criminal justice, before he was signed by the San Diego Chargers in 2016.<\/p>\n
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound wide receiver failed to make the team\u2019s 53-man roster, and spent the first year of his NFL career playing on the practice squad.<\/p>\n
A year later he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles \u2014 but an injury to his Achilles tendon kept him on the sidelines.<\/p>\n
The Eagles released Williams from the team the following year, when the Detroit Lions signed him. Ultimately, he didn\u2019t make the final roster.<\/p>\n
But like any skilled scorer, Williams had a backup plan.<\/p>\n
Williams has aspired to be a cop for as long as he can remember.<\/p>\n
The seed was planted in his hometown of Pomona, Calif., where his oldest brother was murdered in front of their home. That was his introduction to police, and showed him the difference cops can make in a community.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen the way police came in and basically took me under their wing and made sure I was OK,\u201d Williams said in the interview posted on Instagram. \u201cAt the time I was playing sports so they went to multiple of my games.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt that support and love,\u201d Williams said. \u201cI realized the first thing kids interact with are police officers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Williams was one of 561 NYPD recruits who graduated to the rank of officer at Madison Square Garden on Friday.<\/p>\n
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