Julia Witherspoon
Julia possesses a sincere positive spirit of community. She has gone about her daily tasks touching many lives in the City of Racine and has brought about exemplary changes in the lives of individuals and the community as a whole. In 1979, Julia started working for the City of Racine as a clerk in the Police Department, and became a police officer five years later. For 17 years she served her community, dedicated to changing the general perception of Police Officers in the eye of the public. She has spent a great deal of time trying to establish closer relationships between law enforcement officers and citizens, especially children. Children are Julia’s main focus. Knowing the importance of reading and its benefits, Julia founded the COPS 'N KIDS Reading Center. The COPS 'N KIDS Reading Center provides free books to children, particularly, families who more than likely do not have constructive/educational reading material in the home. She believes we can make progress by nurturing positive experiences in the lives of children.Outstanding Accomplishments:
- "Women Putting Their Stamp on Metro Milwaukee" - U.S. Postal Service - 2007
- Featured on DarynKagan.com - 2007
- Milwaukee McDonalds Co-Op "Now That's Black History" Community Leadership Award - 2004
- FBI Director's Community Leadership Award - 2004
- Received ATHENA Award, Augus - 2004
- Received Wisconsin State Assembly Home Town Hero Award, February - 2004
- Featured in Parenting Magazine – Parenting Leader Award - March 2003
- Featured in People Magazine - Hero's Among Us Award - December 2002
- Featured in Women’s World Magazine - March 2002
- Featured in Reader's Digest - March 2002
- Featured in People Magazine - January 2002
- Olympic Torch Bearer for the Winter Olympics - January 2002
- Sons of the Revolution Award - 2001
- Wisconsin Professional Police Association Officer of the Year - 2000
- Optimist International-Racine Wednesday Optimist-Law Enforcement Award - 2000
- General Foundation of Women's Clubs - Theodora Youman's-Citizenship Award - 2000
- Friends of Education Award – Racine Administrators Association - June 2000
- Featured in International Reading Association Reading Today Magazine - November 2000
- Featured on the Oprah Show-Recipient of the Use Your Life Award ($100,000) - September 2000
- Featured on NBC's Today Show - July 2000
- Featured in Court TV's "Badge of Courage" TV Special - 2000
- Featured in Parade Magazine - November 2000
- International Association of Chief's of Police Officer of the Year - Honorable Mention - 2000
- WITI-TV6 Jefferson Award Nominee - 1987
- Outstanding Young Law Enforcement Officer—Racine Jaycees - 1986
- YWCA Woman of Distinction in Human Services - 1988
- Wisconsin State Reading Association's Celebrate Literacy Award Recipient - 2000
- Six Exemplary Officer Awards - 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2001
- Five Excellent Policy Duty Awards - 1986, 1990, 1990, 1994
- Fourth of July Parade Marshall - 1999
- Woman of the Year-UW-Parkside - 1999
- NAACP - Youth Advocate Award - 1999
- Paul Harris Stellar Award-Racine Rotary, Downtown
- The Martin Luther King Freedom Bell Award - 1999
- Attorney General James E. Doyle,s - State of Wisconsin Officer of the Year Award - 1998
Julia Witherspoon
