Mississippi Highway Patrol will receive much-needed personnel boost

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) –  The Mississippi Highway Patrol is set to receive a much-needed boost in officers.

48 troopers make up the 67th cadet class and five of them will be joining Troop G of Starkville.

Staff Sergeant Derrick Beckom said the new additions help combat the officer shortage in law enforcement.

The Magnolia State’s highways have re-stocked 48 new patrol officers following the recent graduation of the 67th cadet class.

Mississippi Highway Patrol Troop G Staff Sergeant Derrick Beckom emphasized the importance of having more officers in his district.

“To have five new troopers come to our area to help enforce the traffic laws is very important to the district but more importantly to our communities and to the state. These guys are excited to get out and work so I know they’ll be a tremendous help to what we’re already doing here because we are short-handed,” said Beckom.

Within a few weeks, the new class will be out on their own, helping with crime and traffic safety but not before several weeks of field training are completed.

“They’ll be riding along with an FTO officer that will show them the ways and they’ll have several different officers that they’ll work with. They’ll take from each officer what they can that will help them find their own way,” said Beckom.

Although the graduation ceremony was just held on Friday, the MHP is wasting no time looking for more troopers.

“Thankfully, we actually start the hiring process tomorrow June 1. Applications will go out for our new patrol school that will be coming up soon so hopefully within the next year or 2024, we’ll have a new group coming out as well,” said Beckom.

Beckom said his new officers are eager to get their new careers rolling.

“They’ll actually show up here at the district on tomorrow so I know they’re excited to get started so there will be a trooper in your area soon,” said Beckom.

An application to join the Mississippi Highway Patrol can be found online with the Department of Public Safety at www.dps.ms.gov/highway-patrol/recruiting

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