The End of His Watch: NYPD Officer William Chisolm

By Alicia Cruz

Senior writer

Theblackurbantimes

It's been almost 20 years since the watch of NYPD officer William Chislom ended on a South Bronx street, but his memory has been kept alive by a host of family members, friends, fellow policemen and his blossoming daughter,

Chauney who was a mere infant when her daddy was killed.

His page at NYPD Angel reads:
Name : Chisolm, William
Rank: P.O.
Shield #: 24154
Command: 045 Pct.
Date of Death: 1989-10-07
Cause of Death: Shot-Off Duty

William Chisolm joined the NYPD on July 15, 1986 at the age of 21. Upon his graduation from the police academy, he was assigned to the 45th Precinct in the Bronx. At approximately 1:45 a.m. on October 7, 1989, officer Chisolm and his girlfriend, Lydia Chester, age 22, of 360 Morris Avenue, were sitting in the officer's parked vehicle in the Patterson Houses, at 314 East 145th Street in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx when 19-year-old college student, DeWright Tate Johnson, appeared and began arguing with Chester.

Tate was no stranger to Chisolm or Chester. Capt. Salvatore Blando, a detective working on the case at that time, said the suspect, DeWright Tate Johnson, had dated Ms. Chester for several years, but they had broken up and she recently began dating Officer Chisolm. Officer Chisolm had known Tate-Johnson for at least nine years as the two young men had been fellow members of a drum and bugle corps.
At some point Tate-Johnson became volatile with Chester causing Officer Chisolm to exit his vehicle to protect Chester from Tate-Johnson. A physical altercation ensued. During the altercation, Officer Chisolm removed his revolver, Tate-Johnson struggled the gun away from the young officer shooting him once in the forehead before fleeing the scene.

Officer Chisolm was rushed to Lincoln Hospital but succumbed to his injury at 10:35 a.m. on Saturday, October 7, 1989.

Tate-Johnson, a civil engineering student at City College, later surrendered to the 40th precinct in the South Bronx accompanied by his attorney, C. Vernon Mason.
At that time, Tate-Johnson was charged with homicide, possession of a stolen weapon and criminal use of a weapon. At his trial, Tate-Johnson's lawyer presented a "self-preservation" defense contending that his client had killed the officer in a struggle after the officer had taken out his gun and put it to Mr. Johnson's head. The jury did not agree and Johnson was later convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. He is eligible for parole in May 2011.

At the time of his death, Officer Chisolm was 24 years old. Leave a message in memory of this fallen NYPD officer here