William “Bill” Swank | Senior Air Marshal, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Law Enforcement Ambassador and Advocate
Bill Swank found his calling early in life, committing to a career in law enforcement before he had even finished his secondary schooling in Zanesville.
He joined the Ohio Peace Officers Academy when he was 17, graduating from the academy before he graduated from high school.
Swank finished first in his cadet class, marking the beginning of a distinguished career encompassing numerous public-safety roles, from patrol and narcotics officer to detective sergeant and senior federal agent.
Today, at 54, he is a Senior Air Marshal for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a role inspired by the tragedy of 9/11.
At every turn during the past 36 years, Swank has perfected the virtue of service to others, both on and off the job.
“He's the most caring and compassionate person I’ve ever met,” said Columbus Police Officer Anthony “AJ” Johnson. “I mean, not only for what he's done in my life but also for what's he done in so many other people's lives, and for what he’s done for law enforcement.”
For Johnson, Swank has been a mentor for many years, since their paths crossed by happenstance at a Columbus gym.
“I met Bill at a very pivotal time in my life,” he said. “I was 18 and looking at being homeless. After a while of us getting to know each other, he opened the doors to his home to prevent me from being homeless. The rest is history.”
That “history” includes Swank eventually coaxing Johnson to do something that a guy who “hated the police at the time” couldn’t have imagined – become a police officer and return to his community to give back.
“It took some time, but eventually that seed sprouted,” said Johnson, now a national expert in community policing with 134,000 followers on the Instagram account #ohnoitsdapopo.
Beyond his mentoring and many law enforcement positions, Swank has spent nearly 15 years pouring himself into a volunteer role he sought with the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF). The fund, founded in 1984, not only honors fallen officers but also tells the story of American law enforcement and works to make the job safer for those currently serving.
Swank hit the ground running in 2012, when he became an Ambassador for the nonprofit, quickly helping to plan a Law Enforcement Appreciation Event in Cleveland with the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. The gathering succeeded wildly, and Swank forged ahead.
To raise awareness and encourage support of the memorial fund in Ohio, he arranged key meetings with law enforcement leaders and executives from both the public and private sectors.
Swank likewise has been invaluable to the Ambassador Program’s Steering Committee, leaning on his experience, connections, and insights to help fuel its growth.
An avid collector of police challenge coins and badges, Swank designed and developed the first Ambassador Challenge Coin, paying personally for the first 200 coins and donating them to the program.
His journey with NLEOMF prompted the agency to establish an Ambassador Impact Award and name Swank its first recipient.
“Bill is a testament to the power of unwavering dedication, selfless service, and a profound commitment to honoring those who dedicate their lives to protecting our communities,” a NLEOMF website tribute says.
Equally noteworthy are Swank’s contributions on the state and local levels.
A decade ago, he founded Light Ohio Blue, which began as a grass-roots effort to honor a fallen Columbus peace officer and is now a statewide tradition of remembrance for Ohio’s fallen officers and support of active law enforcement personnel.
Three years later, he established Operation Santa’s Sleigh, a Light Ohio Blue program that, on Dec. 23, draws hundreds of law enforcement officers to seven Children’s Hospitals throughout the state. The peace officers circle the hospitals with their cruisers, turn on their lights, and wave to young patients lining the perimeter windows on many floors.
“I just don't know a better human than Bill Swank,” said Ohio State Highway Patrol Capt. Tiffiany Meeks, who met Swank through Light Ohio Blue. “He never does anything for himself. He operates in the shadows.”
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson shared similar sentiments.
“The way he treats people, he is truly probably one of the kindest people I’ve ever known,” said Wilson, adding that Swank’s support of his peers is unmatched.
“Within the law enforcement community, there’s nobody who cares more deeply about the men and women who serve than Bill Swank. He has dedicated his entire life not only to service but to supporting those around him.”
Capt. Meeks credited Swank’s “fierce” mother and grandmother for molding him from a young age to be someone special.
“There is no greater tribute than the man Bill is today for the way those women raised him.”
AJ Johnson offered a much more personal assessment of Swank.
“He’s my guardian angel,” Johnson said, “and I'll say that forever, till the day I die.”
