Columbus City Council has completed interviews with the three finalists for police chief, and a hiring decision could be announced this week.
The council met in executive session at 9 a.m. today to discuss the three finalists.
Since Nov. 2, the council has conducted in-person interviews with Natchez Police Chief Joseph Daughtry Sr., retired Chattanooga Police Department Assistant Chief Russell Jason Irvin and Douglas County, Nebraska, Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Wayne D. Hudson.
The three were selected from a field of nearly 40 qualified applicants. Each has about 25 years of service in law enforcement in a range of capacities.
Daughtry has served as chief in Natchez for two years. He previously served as chief in Pelahatchie for two years; as a Rankin County sheriff’s deputy for four years; as captain of the community service division at the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office for three years; as a patrol sergeant for the Jackson Police Department for 10 years; and as a deputy sheriff for the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office in New Orleans for four years.
In June he was elected leader of the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police.
All of Irvin’s experience is in the Chattanooga Police Department, culminating in the role of assistant chief from 2017 until his retirement early this year. He had previously worked for two years as director of training; four as a lieutenant in internal affairs; a year as patrol supervisor; two as a sergeant in internal affairs; two as a property crimes investigator; four years as a major crimes investigator; one year each as a property crime investigator and as school resource officer; and two years in patrol.
Aside from a stint in the military, where he started his law enforcement career as a security specialist in the United States Air Force, Hudson has spent his entire career with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
He joined the sheriff’s office in 1999, working his way up from a sergeant in the patrol division to the chief deputy, a post he held since January 2021. Along the way he served six months as captain of the criminal investigation bureau; four years as captain in the uniform services bureau; four years as a captain in the court services bureau; eight years as a lieutenant in the court services and administrative services bureaus; and six years as a patrol sergeant.
Columbus Police Department has been without a chief since Aug. 15, when Fred Shelton retired. He announced his intention to retire on July 12, hours before a special-call city council meeting to discuss his job performance. Assistant Chief Doran Johnson is serving as interim chief.
Mayor Keith Gaskin has said he would like to have the position filled by the end of the month.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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