Assembly candidate Das Williams announced Tuesday that the California Asian Peace Officers PAC has endorsed his campaign for the 35th District seat.

CAPO is the only statewide political action organization representing California’s API peace officers and safety personnel.

“After looking closely at all the candidates in the race for AD 35, CAPO overwhelmingly chose to support and put their resources behind Das Williams,” said Captain Trang To, president of CAPO. “Das has amassed a solid record on public safety issues during his tenure on the Santa Barbara City Council, and has shown an uncanny ability to bring leaders together from all sectors in effort to enact fair and responsible city budgets that have protected jobs and pensions, and maintained critical local law enforcement programs and services.

“Das Williams also understands the importance of diversity within the ranks and leadership of public safety, and is the type of policymaker that will bring new and fresh ideas to tackle this issue, as well as others, in Sacramento. He’s exactly what our state legislature needs right now.”

CAPO joins the Santa Barbara Police Officers Association in backing Williams.

“I’ve always fought hard to give peace officers, firefighters and others who risk their lives for our communities the resources they need to carry out their jobs effectively and return home safely at the end of each day,” Williams said. “I’ve helped negotiate fair contracts and pensions between the city and local law enforcement, worked to maintain Santa Barbara’s sworn peace officer level at 140 in the face of a budget deficit, expand neighborhood bike patrol programs, and strengthen after-school programs for at-risk youth.

“I am truly honored to have earned the endorsement of CAPO, and will continue to advocate in the Assembly for the issues that matter most to California’s public safety community.”

Williams is running to succeed fellow Democrat and termed-out Assemblyman Pedro Nava.

— Christopher Patterson represents the Das Williams campaign for Assembly District 35.