Being an officer of the law is not for the weak. It takes courage for someone to protect and serve their community. It’s risking everything for a person who may not respect what he or she does. An officer is a peacemaker, a psychologist, a social worker, a referee and even a friend. If this sounds like the job for you, the Town of Vaiden is looking for a few good men – and women too.
Right now, the town doesn’t have a police chief and is down an officer because its full-time officer went to the Winona Police Department and the chief went to the Grenada Police Department.
Mayor Mel Hawthorne said the town is working with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department to assist the town’s part-time officers. Hawthorne said the town has run ads in the newspaper to find someone, but he can’t find anyone willing to work in a small town in Mississippi.
He said the town placed the advertisement in newspapers in the surrounding counties but no one has submitted an application.
“We hadn’t had anyone respond to us,” he said. “That’s new. We’ve never had that to happen to us before. Any other time we put out an advertisement, we usually get applications in. This time, we haven’t gotten anything.”
Hawthorne said the problem that Vaiden is having isn’t just isolated to small towns, it’s happening everywhere.
“Everyone is having a time keeping qualified police officers,” he said.
Hawthorne said the sheriff’s department and the town have a general agreement that the sheriff’s department will help the two part-time officers that Vaiden still has.
Sheriff Clint Walker said he and Hawthorne agreed that the main priority is to provide services for the residents of Vaiden.
“We’ve always answered calls and helped out in Vaiden,” Walker said. “We answer 50 calls a month in city limits of Vaiden. It’s put a strain on the department.”
He said recently the board of aldermen agreed to contribute $3,000 to the department to help ease the financial strain. Walker said the agreement is a month-to-month agreement until Vaiden can find new officers.
He said usually the county has three men on call, however considering the size of Carroll County, that can be a challenge. However, he said the department has a plan in place.
“We strategically keep the guys spread out. We see where the most calls happen and keep them in that area. On top of their routine patrol, a lot is expected of the deputies and they’re giving 100 percent,” Walker said.
He said he appreciates the contribution and hopes it can continue until Vaiden’s fully staffed again.
