AZ Williams
Police Chief
Chief Williams is a North Carolina native who grew up in Fayetteville. A graduate of Douglas Byrd Sr. High, he obtained both his Master and Bachelor of Arts degrees from NC State University. He is a NC Certified Public Manager, holds his Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate and is also certified as a NC General Instructor.
Chief Williams began his law enforcement career in 1989 with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department before transitioning to the State of North Carolina as an Adult Probation/Parole Officer. In 2000, he began a 17-year tenure as a special agent with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). With the Bureau, he served in many capacities including specialized areas such as arson, crime scene, clandestine laboratories, and as an FBI Crisis Negotiator. However, his primary love at the agency was working homicide investigations and numerous other major criminal investigations he was often tasked to do. An avid sports fan, Chief Williams loves the Wolfpack and the Miami Dolphins. He is an outdoorsman who takes every opportunity to hike, canoe, swim and snorkel.
Retiring in 2017, as Assistant Special Agent in Charge (Fayetteville), Chief Williams is now fulfilling a dream he has entertained for many years: To be Chief of Police and a leader of young men and women who are empowered to serve and protect.
William (Billy) Hilliard
Lieutenant
Lieutenant Hilliard is a retired officer from the UNC Police Department (2012) who has brought a wealth of experience and wisdom to the Wilson’s Mills Police Department since his hire in 2013. He is a NC Certified General and Specialized instructor who regularly teaches WMPD and other agencies Firearms, Specialized Explosive and HazMat, Taser, Rapid Deployment, HazMat Operations and many other courses.
A veteran law enforcement officer with over 34 years of cumulative experience, Lt. Hilliard enjoys outdoor activities such as fishing and hunting.
Lt. Hilliard is a part-time employee with the department.
Debbie Hilliard
Detective
Detective Hilliard has been employed part-time with Wilson’s Mills Police Department since September 2013. She is a retired Battalion Chief at Cary Fire Department (2012); and a current part-time Orange County paramedic. She is a NC Certified General and Specialized instructor who teaches First Responder, CPR, HazMat and EMT-Paramedic courses. Det. Hilliard also previously worked as a police officer with the Chapel Hill Police Department before moving on to a lifelong career in the firefighting profession. In doing so, Det. Hilliard continued to maintain her law enforcement certifications allowing WMPD to benefit from her extensive experience and knowledge.
Det. Hilliard earned a bachelor’s degree from UNC-Chapel Hill and a master’s from NC State University. She has over 34 years in law enforcement.
Matthew Peedin
Sergeant
Sergeant Peedin is a full-time officer who also serves as our Field Training Officer (FTO). An Eagle Scout in high school, Sergeant Peedin received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from East Carolina University. While in College he worked with the ECU Police Departments Student Patrol Unit, then completed Basic Law Enforcement Training at Johnston Community College upon graduation from college. He began his law enforcement career at the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office before moving on to the Four Oaks Police Department where he served for 5½ years. In April 2018, Sergeant Peedin joined the Wilson’s Mills Police Department where he is also a member of the Johnston County Crisis Intervention Team.
He holds certifications and advanced training in Speed Measuring Instruments, Chemical Analysis of Breath, Standardized Field Sobriety Test, Methamphetamine Awareness, DWI Detection, CPR and AED.
Raymond Barton
Sergeant
Sergeant Barton is a full-time officer with over 17 years of experience in law enforcement. He began his career in the NYPD and recently retired from the Suffolk County Police Department in New York. After relocating to North Carolina in 2019, Sergeant Barton instantly knew he wanted to contribute and give back to this wonderful, welcoming state. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice and has attended three police academies over the course of his career including JCC's BLET program from which he graduated in May of 2020.
Sergeant Barton is a dedicated husband, and father of four children and enjoys working out daily and spending time with his family's three dogs. He looks forward to taking an active role in serving and protecting the citizens of Wilson's Mills.
Terry Winstead
School Resource Officer
Officer Winstead is a full-time officer who serves as our School Resource Officer (SRO) at Wilson’s Mills Elementary. A retired 30-year veteran in law enforcement, Officer Winstead, to our benefit, graciously returned in the spring of 2023 to become Wilson’s Mills’ first school resource officer and now enjoys safeguarding our youngest and most vulnerable in the community. He was formerly employed with the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Kitty Hawk Police Department, and Nash Healthcare Company Police before retiring with WMPD in 2021. He is also an accomplished martial arts instructor who enjoys hunting, fishing and boating in his spare time. Officer Winstead is married and has a big friendly Doberman named “Dreako.”
Benjamin Deese
Officer
Officer Deese is a full-time officer with over 13 years of law enforcement experience. He graduated with Honors from UNC-Pembroke with his Masters in Public Administration and a BA in Criminal Justice. Officer Deese is a member of the Police Corps of North Carolina class of 2004. He holds his Advanced Law Enforcement Certification, Traffic Enforcement Professional and Law Enforcement Journeyman Certifications.
Officer Deese is also our 2nd Eagle Scout currently employed with the department and holds additional certifications in areas that include: Collision Reconstructionist, Drug Recognition Expert, BikeSafe Instructor (Motorcycle), Special Response Team (SRT), School Resource Officer (SRO), Motorcycle Officer, Field Training Officer (FTO), and Traffic Enforcement.
Daniel Wright
Officer
Officer Daniel Wright is a full-time police officer and full-time attorney in the RTP area. He is a Raleigh native, having graduated from Broughton High School and Campbell University. In addition to a juris doctorate, Officer Wright holds an associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree in criminal justice, and is licensed to practice law in both North Carolina and Minnesota. He graduated from the Wake Tech BLET Academy night program in June 2021.
Officer Wright is honored to be able to serve Wilson’s Mills and very much appreciates its charm and southern hospitality.
Dean Joyner
Officer
Officer Joyner recently began his law enforcement career after completing BLET in 2017 from Johnston Community College. A promising new officer, Joyner was hired first as part-time then later transitioned to full-time officer status. Officer Joyner enjoys fishing and carpentry in his spare time.
He enjoys law enforcement and thinks he has found a long-term career.
Nelson Robinson
Officer
Officer Nelson Robinson is a full-time police officer with the Wilson’s Mills Police Department. He has been a law enforcement officer since 2010 serving in both full-time and part-time capacities after completing Basic Law Enforcement Training at Wake Tech. He has worked as an officer with the Town of Enfield, the North Carolina State Capitol Police, and is currently working part-time for the Town of Weldon. Before becoming a police officer, he also held a detention officer position with the Wake County Sherriff’s Office. Officer Robinson has his Class A license and has been a commercial truck driver for more than 20 years.
When Officer Robinson has spare time, he enjoys spending time working in his yard and barbecuing with family and friends.
Jerome Eldridge
Officer
Officer Eldridge is a North Carolina native who grew up in Harnett County. A graduate of Triton High School, he joined the North Carolina Army National Guard straight out of high school.
He served for eight years as a Military Police Officer, serving one combat tour to Afghanistan. He currently serves the citizens of North Carolina as a Logistics Specialist with the 105th En. Bn.
Officer Eldridge began his law enforcement career in 2015 with the Crabtree Valley Special Police Department, serving with the agency until its disbandment in April of 2020. He currently serves in a senior leadership role with On-Point Company Police. During his career he served in many capacities including Field Training Officer/Supervisor, Background Investigator, Terminal Agency Coordinator (TAC), General Instructor, Axon Taser Instructor, Criminal/Internal Investigator, and Driving While Impaired Detection and Enforcement.
His future ambition as an Officer is to provide protection of life, liberty and justice for the citizens of North Carolina and the Town of Wilson’s Mills. He is currently working on obtaining the Leadership Certificate Program from the North Carolina Justice Academy, as well as Specialized Training in Firearms, Rapid Deployment and De-escalation Techniques.
Alejandro Almazan
Officer
Officer A. Almazan is a Johnston County native who is at the start of his law enforcement career, with a strong passion to protect and serve the community. He is a third-generation law enforcement officer in his family, and the first to enter the profession in the United States. Officer Almazan has expressed his desire to be a reliable and trustworthy resource to the community of Wilson’s Mills, especially to the Spanish speaking residents as he is bilingual. In his free time, Officer Almazan enjoys being outdoors hiking, fishing, and hunting, as well as spending time with friends and family.
“I thank Chief and the Town of Wilson Mills for giving me the opportunity to work for this small, yet fast growing town. I don’t see myself going anywhere anytime soon!”
Tevon Davis
Part-Time Officer
Officer Davis is a part-time officer who is a native of Virginia where he attended high school and was a member of the football team and Navy JROTC. A 2018 BLET graduate of Johnston Community College, Officer Davis is currently employed as a police officer at North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC. He is certified in DWI Detection, Radar and Standardized Field Sobriety (SFST). Officer Davis enjoys fishing and playing basketball in his spare time and is excited to begin his career in law enforcement.
He looks forward to helping serve and protect the people of Wilson’s Mills and the greater community.
Erin Sinclair
Part-Time Officer
Officer Sinclair is a Johnston County native and a Benson local. Officer Sinclair began her career in law enforcement after completing the Basic Law Enforcement Training academy in the spring of 2017 at Johnston Community College. In March of 2022, Officer Sinclair joined the Wilson's Mills Police Department as a part-time officer, then transitioned to full-time officer status. She is looking forward to bringing her experience to the lovely community of Wilson's Mills.
In her free time, she enjoys painting, fishing, traveling to new places and socializing with her friends and family.
Mark Teachey
Part-Time Officer
Officer Mark Teachey has been a part time officer with WMPD since March 2023. He began his law enforcement career with the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Department in 1980. He moved to Selma Police Department in 1988 and remained there until 2013. A retired US Army Military Officer, Officer Teachey worked with the State Department and is a current Deputy Chief with the Capitol Special Police. Officer Teachey has an MBA and BA in Criminal Justice and is recognized as the founder and Director of the 1st NC Veterans Treatment Court. He specializes in Federal and State Grant writing and is also a PPCT instructor. Officer Teachey also serves as our department Chaplain in times of crisis and need.
Emanuel Damasceno
Part-Time Officer
Officer Damasceno graduated June 2023 obtaining BLET from Wake Technical Community College. Officer Damasceno, a native of Brazil, moved to North Carolina in 2020 continuing in the IT field where he has been employed since 2007. Fulfilling a desire to work in law enforcement, Officer Damasceno works part-time here at WMPD. In his spare time, he says “I like to stay with my family, play video games, build PCs, servers, or IT DIY related projects.”
Matthew Smith
Part-Time Officer
Officer William Matthew Smith is a part-time police officer with the Wilson’s Mills Police Department. Smith, a North Carolina native raised just outside of Fayetteville, graduated from Cape Fear high school and has worked as an auto mechanic for the last 23 years. He became a Ford Senior Master tech 2010 and graduated BLET in 2020.
Matthew enjoys camping and grilling during his free time.
Jenyssa Cooper
Part-Time Officer
Officer Cooper is currently a full-time NC Probation Officer who also serves part-time for the Wilson’s Mills Police Department. Officer Cooper and her family moved from New York to North Carolina in 2017 where she began a career in criminal justice with the NC Department of Corrections at Central Prison, before transitioning to Probation and Parole. In furtherance of her career, Officer Cooper attended Fayetteville Technical Community College’s BLET program, then worked as a patrol officer at Smithfield Police Department before coming to WMPD.
Officer Cooper has a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology, and a master’s degree in Behavioral Sciences.
Daniel W. Daniels
Part-Time Officer
Officer Daniels currently serves part-time for the department and has over 15 years of experience as a law enforcement officer. He was previously a full-time officer with the Wilson’s Mills Police Department (18 months), after working at Kenly, Micro and Black Creek police agencies. He has been employed part-time with WMPD for the past 3 ½ years.
Officer Daniels holds both DCI and radar certifications, while also currently employed full-time as a paramedic. He has been an EMT for 15 years and a paramedic for the past 11.
Officer Daniels enjoys serving the community of Wilson’s Mills and being a part of a small-town atmosphere. He also holds certification as a Real Estate broker in North Carolina.
Elliot Smith
Part-Time Officer
Officer Smith is a North Carolina native. Smith is a retired Special Agent in Charge with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation where he worked on a wide variety of crimes to include narcotics, homicides, officer involved shootings, and background investigations. Smith has over 25 years of experience in the criminal justice system including work in the capacity of a Correctional Officer and Adult Probation/Parole Officer.
Smith is currently a Senior Fellow and researcher in the Institute for Homeland Security and Emergency Management in the Criminal Justice department at North Carolina Central University. Smith is a certified law enforcement instructor for the state of North Carolina. Smith holds an undergraduate degree from North Carolina Central University and a master’s degree from Liberty University.
Smith is a part-time officer focused on identifying training requirements for the department and individuals within the department.