The Honorable Marie Williams set high expectations as she prepared to announce the name of the 2012 recipient of the Liberty Bell Award, an honor the Chattanooga Bar Association bestows each year during its Law Day celebration on a person in the community whose service “strengthens the American system of freedom under law.”
“One only needs to review the list of past recipients to appreciate the caliber of individuals honored. Each of these persons embodies a spirit of service to others while recognizing and appreciating individual rights and responsibilities,” she said, referring to the esteemed Claude Ramsey, Skipper Fairbanks and Wayne Keylon in recent years, and other well-known names reaching back to 1964.
When Judge Williams announced the addition of Lieutenant Jennifer Wright, a fraud investigator with the Chattanooga Housing Authority Police, to that revered list, every pair of hands in the room applauded in agreement. Wright smiled, stood to accept the award and then humbly sat back down without making a speech.
Her extraordinary record of service in the Chattanooga area, which Judge Williams had recounted, had said everything.
The Chattanooga Housing Authority exists to provide safe, decent and affordable housing while promoting community service programs that encourage the development of the residents it serves. The environment in which Wright works is home to many men, women and children. Within that environment, Wright must address the fraud perpetrated by some participants on others, such as fraudulent applications for services.
“Fraud is an intentional act that victimizes others through deception. The manner in which Lieutenant Wright carries out her duties is an example to not only the citizens of the Chattanooga Housing Authority community but also to the other officers functioning in that environment. Every day, she must balance the tension between constitutional rights and the responsibilities of the individuals to whom these rights are available,”
Judge Williams said.
Wright’s work involves enforcing the law through investigation, arrest, prosecution and testimony in court. She also arranges for people to pay the debt they owe the Chattanooga Housing Authority. In addition, her duties have included training the officers and civilian employees she supervises, and public speaking within the Housing Authority and in other Chattanooga communities about the issues they face. She is also a member of the Chattanooga Area Gang Exchange, created to combat gang violence in the city.
“Her work to train members of the police force as well as the civilian population instills an understanding of and an appreciation for the rule of law,” Judge Williams said.
Wright is equally devoted to her volunteer efforts. As vice chair of Metropolitan Ministries, she is part of an organization that assists clients with rent, utilities and prescription expenses. Wright also serves on the vestry of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where she is Secretary of the Corporation and Clerk of the Vestry. Her service there encourages the parish’s outreach to the community.
Wright has also excelled academically. A graduate of Girls Preparatory School and Appalachian State in North Carolina, she holds a Masters of Science in Public Administration and Public Safety Management from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. While in college, she held several leadership positions – including those of a disciplinary nature.
As the recipient of the Liberty Bell Award, Wright not only joins a group of respected citizens of Chattanooga, but also follows in the footsteps of her great-grandfather, Gordon Street, Sr., who received the award in 1979.
Wright is married to John Wright and is a mother of two. Joining her at the Law Day celebration May 10 at Sheraton Read House were: Chris Smith, mother; Tripp Smith, father; Skipper Smith, brother; Frances Smith, grandmother; Gordon Smith, grandfather; Sally Crimmins, aunt; Ward Crimmins, uncle; and her husband.
“We are fortunate to have such a well-rounded member of the Chattanooga community as this year’s recipient of the Liberty Bell Award. I also believe she is the youngest recipient of the award,” Wright said.
Law Day, a national day during which the citizens of the U.S. celebrate the rule of law, underscores how law and the legal process contribute to the freedom all Americans share. It is not a national holiday nor a “lawyer’s day,” but an occasion for Americans to contemplate their legal heritage, their responsibilities as citizens and the principles of democratic government.
Each year, the Chattanooga Bar Association honors one outstanding Chattanooga citizen with the Liberty Bell Award. In selecting the recipient, the bar considers service that promotes better understanding of the U.S. constitution and the Bill of Rights, encourages a greater respect for the law and the courts, stimulates a deeper sense of individual responsibility and contributes to the effective functioning of government institutions.
Lawyers and judges are not eligible.