October 31, 2024
On October 24, Pearl River Community College hosted another Lunch and Learn in their series “County Government 101”. This time, the focus was placed on the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office.
Executive Vice President for Student Services Dr. Jeff Long greeted attendees with a few updates on Pearl River Community College and expression of gratitude for Bank Plus and Mississippi Power who sponsored the event. He also led the invocation for the lunch portion of the event.
Pearl River County Sheriff David Allison attended with several members of his team, including Chief Deputy Freddie Drennan who gave the presentation. Allison serves as the chief law enforcement officer of the county and is in his fifth term, a record for the area.
Drennan provided an overview of the different departments and their services under the Sheriff. These include the county jail, criminal investigations (including narcotics and sex offender registry), the first marshal, patrol, records, and transportation.
With approximately 810 square miles to cover, Pearl River is the fourth-largest county in Mississippi. Proximity to New Orleans, Bogalusa, the Gulf Coast, and Jackson has the county in the path of many drug trade routes. Narcotics-related crimes and drug overdoses have risen as have arrests. Since the year began, the jail has booked over 2100 people on a variety of charges.
The need for high-quality personnel and the process of becoming a deputy were discussed at length. Law enforcement agencies all struggle to acquire and keep officers. Not including a salary and benefits package, it costs an average of $12,000 to get a new deputy on the road.
“We have people who apply and think they want to be a law enforcement officer, but have no idea what law enforcement really does,” said Drennan. “They watch television and think this is what I’d do. They don’t know about the hours spent sitting in court, doing reports, and time in training.”
Several attendees expressed their gratitude to the Sheriff’s Department for all the work they do.
April Grecho, President of the Poplarville Area Chamber of Commerce, spoke about the success of the recent two-day Booberry Festival at the Town Green. The new military member banners have been incredibly popular with a waitlist for future orders in place. Upcoming events include the First Responder & City Worker Luncheon to be held on October 29, Merchant Trick or Treat on Halloween, and the multiple weekend Christmas on Main celebration.
Lunch and Learn will return during the spring semester with dates and speakers yet to be determined.
For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), Facebook (@PRCCMKTG), and TikTok (@prcc_wildcats).
Article and Photography by Laura O’Neill.
