Senate Concurrent Resolution 651

(As Adopted by Senate and House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE PROFESSIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICE OF LEAKE COUNTY SHERIFF GREG WAGGONER ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT.

WHEREAS, Leake County Sheriff Greg Waggoner has announced he is not running for reelection in 2019. In Sheriff Waggoner, the citizens of Leake County have effective law enforcement and public service; and

WHEREAS, Sheriff Waggoner began his law enforcement career as a Conservation Officer with the Mississippi Game and Fish Commission (currently Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks) in 1976. He served in several capacities during his tenure there and resigned in 1999 with the rank of Captain-in-charge of Special Operations. He announced his candidacy for the Office of Sheriff of Leake County and was elected that same year. He is currently serving his fifth term in that capacity; and

WHEREAS, Sheriff Waggoner recognizes that his primary duty as Sheriff is to protect the people of Leake County, which includes apprehending criminals and assisting state and/or federal prosecutors. The Leake County Sheriff's Office had a 400% increase in felony arrests his first year in office. They led the state in the eradication of methamphetamine labs in 2002. Under Sheriff Waggoner's leadership, the Leake County Sheriff's Office has initiated three drug-trafficking cases which resulted in over 50 federal indictments. In 2010, Sheriff Waggoner gave the FBI the initial information that started operation "Mississippi Hustle," the Mississippi Department of Corrections' bribery scandal; and

WHEREAS, Sheriff Waggoner also serves as the Chief Corrections Officer of the Leake County Correctional Facility. This facility has beds for 300 state inmates and 180 beds for pretrial detainees. This facility is accredited by the American Corrections Association and on its last audit received a perfect score of 100; and

WHEREAS, Sheriff Waggoner is involved in various community activities, including the formation of the Leake County Triad and using inmate labor for beautification projects. He has received numerous awards over the years for these and other services and a few of those are: Keep Mississippi Beautiful Hall of Fame Award; 2010 Leake County Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year; and 2014 Service Award from the Mississippi Leadership Council on Aging; and

WHEREAS, the Sheriff serves on the Board of the Mississippi Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission and Leake County was the second Sheriff's Office to be accredited in the state. Sheriff Waggoner is a member of the Mississippi Sheriffs' Association, the National Sheriffs' Association, the Leake County Chamber of Commerce, and an active member of First Baptist Church Carthage; and

WHEREAS, Sheriff Waggoner is a graduate of Leake Academy, East Central Community College, and has a Bachelor's Degree from Mississippi College in Administration of Justice. He and his wife, Lana, have one son, Seth, and daughter-in-law, Blair, and two grandsons, Cash and Mack; and

WHEREAS, we should not pause and remember law enforcement officers when they retire, we should do it every day. We can never repay our debt to these officers and their families:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the professional law enforcement service of Leake County Sheriff Greg Waggoner on the occasion of his retirement, and extend the best wishes of the Legislature to Sheriff Waggoner and his family for future success.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Leake County Sheriff Greg Waggoner, forwarded to the Leake County Board of Supervisors, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.