The area’s law enforcement community and members of Vicksburg’s fire department were the featured guests Wednesday night as the Vicksburg Homecoming Benevolent Club honored men and women in uniform at its 33rd annual Officer of the Year Banquet.
Ninety guests attended the program at American Legion Post 213 to honor the nominees from the Vicksburg Police and Fire departments, Warren County Sheriff’s Office and Mississippi Highway Patrol.
“What better honor can you get from your community that you serve,” Mayor George Flaggs Jr. told the officers and firefighters present. “You represent your community with pride, dignity and integrity.”
Receiving awards were:
4 Vicksburg police officer Russell Dorsey, an eight-year veteran of the police department assigned to the traffic division. He was recognized as officer of the quarter in October 2016, and in 2012 rescued a lady who was attempting to commit suicide by jumping off the Mississippi River Bridge.
4 Sheriff’s deputy Darnika Mayfield, who joind the sheriff’s office in 2013and is assigned to the cort services division where she has provided protection to circuit, chancery and youth court judges, and has training in active shooter, pressure point control tactics and defensive driving.
4 Highway Patrol Cpl. Kervin Stewart, a 10-year MHP veteran assigned to Warren County in 2008. In March 2016, he was involved in the arrest of a man wanted in connection with a murder in Claiborne County after a high-speed chase that also involved Vicksburg police and Warren County sheriff’s deputies.
4 Firefighter Leo Sims, a nine-year veteran of the Vicksburg Fire Department.
“It’s an honor, and we’re glad you have this event for us to show the dedication and the thankfulness you all give to us from our community,” said MHP Cpl. Eric Henry, the program’s guest speaker.
“We’re here to recognize the men and women who put the uniform on and sacrifice their lives on a daily basis. That’s firemen, sheriff’s deputies, the police department, and any other law enforcement official who wears this uniform. Everyday we put our uniform knowing we might not come back to our loved ones.”
Henry said law enforcement has come under close scrutiny because of the actions of some officeers over the years, but added, “97 percent of the men and women who wear this uniform care about your community. They care about the people who live in the state of Mississippi and the community.
“Just that 1 percent that doesn’t have the passion we have, we look over that. And the ones out there doing the right thing, we’re going to work hard to keep the community together and keep the trust and let the citizens know we’re here for them and we’re out there protecting them while they sleep at night.”
He called law enforcement a calling.
“To wear this uniform, this is nothing where you just wake up the next day and say I want to be a police officer,” he said. “It’s kind of like being a minister. It’s a passion you have when you put this uniform on to care for the citizens out here that you serve and protect.
“If you don’t have that passion, you don’t need to have this uniform on. Because one that doesn’t have this passion, they’re making the good officers look bad. And we don’t want that. You just don’t know how thankful we are, law enforcement and the fire department, to have this day to show your appreciation. We don’t always get a pat on our back every day.
“I’m glad to be here, I’m glad to honor the people who are about to get these awards. They deserve it.”