GCPS school resource officer honored for saving infant’s life

Zakia Williams, a Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) School Resource Officer (SRO), is a 2021 Valor Public Safety Award winner. Sponsored by the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, the honor recognizes public safety professionals who have performed heroic and extraordinary acts to protect and serve the citizens of Gwinnett. 

Williams earned the Lifesaving Award for her response and heroic intervention to save a baby that was not breathing in a car next to hers. Williams explains what happened saying, “I was driving home from my regular duty shift when I saw a SUV swerving in and out of the lane beside me, and the driver was beeping his horn. I pulled my vehicle up next to the SUV, rolled my window down, and asked if everyone was okay. Both people inside the SUV responded by screaming, ‘My baby is not breathing’.”

Williams and the SUV driver both stopped on the side of the road and that is when Williams says her training kicked in. “I jumped out of my vehicle and the driver of the vehicle brought me the baby and I began conducting CPR,” Williams said. “After several chest compressions and blowing into the baby’s airway, she began to make a grunting noise. I then applied several more chest compressions, she took one big gasp and began crying and breathing again.” Paramedics transported the infant to a hospital where she made a full recovery.

GCPS Police Chief Tony Lockard says Williams is deserving of the honor. “I am proud of Officer Williams,” Lockard said. “Her actions speak volumes about her and our department. She, along with all of our school resource officers, are highly trained professionals. Their primary mission is to provide a safe place for our staff and students during normal school hours in part by mentoring, teaching and fostering relationships within our schools. But as Officer Williams’ actions show, she and her fellow officers also are prepared to help anyone in need when called upon.”