Local sheriffs participating in the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s Inmate Litter Control Program agree that being proactive and using the program to its fullest potential yields noticeable results and keeps their state highways clean.

Monroe and Lowndes counties recently received recognition for their efforts in keeping the roadways clean, earning first and second place in the state’s northern district in the amounts of bags of trash and debris collected over the past year.

MDOT officials said in a release that inmates across 107 participating counties and municipalities collected more than 340,000 bags of litter in a one-year span.

Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell noted 2013 marks the second straight year his county has earned top honors in north Mississippi, collecting between 4,000-5,000 bags on state highways and state aid roads over 12 months. Add the amount collected by the 10 to 15 state inmates each day on the county’s roads and that number triples to 12,000 to 15,000 bags of trash. For its trouble, Cantrell said the county received a storage van that can be used to step up beautification efforts. The county is also at the top of a list to receive a new trailer for the jail.

“We pick up a lot of garbage,” Cantrell said. “The people at MDOT brag on us for how clean our county is, and we’re proud of that. We’re reaping the benefits out of doing a good job.”

Lowndes County jail administrator Billy Pickens said for a year-long period beginning May 2012, state inmates collected about 3,732 bags of garbage on state roads in the county.

“The program is a win-win situation for everybody,” Pickens said. “Most of the people sentenced here are from this area. That gives the inmates a chance to stay closer to their family and the family doesn’t have to travel all over the state during visitation times. It helps the state because the county keeps the prison system from being so clogged up. We get free labor, get the litter picked up. It helps not only to keep the inmates in this area at work but it helps to beautify the area.”

Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott said his department also participates. The key areas of concentration for his cleanup crew are on Highway 50, Highway 45 and Highway 47, he said.

Scott said in addition to making the roadways litter-free, it also saves the county money because removal of the debris ensures that county bush-hogging equipment isn’t damaged by running over discarded objects.

While Oktibbeha County Jail does not house state inmates, Sheriff Steve Gladney said he sends a crew of trustees to pick up trash on county roads on a daily basis. He said if the jail qualified for the MDOT program, he would participate.

“I would love to do it,” Gladney said. “I wish I had about 10 (inmates) I could send out every day.”

Cantrell said he believes this is one of the most effective programs in the state in terms of beautification.

“Your first impression is probably your last impression, so we want to have the best impression we can for people coming through our state. I’ve had a lot of phone calls from people … saying how clean Monroe County was,” Cantrell said. “I think it is a statement in the community that we want good clean roads and a good clean county. I think it sends a positive statement because we’re a proactive sheriff’s department trying to do something that other sheriff’s departments don’t do.”

Nathan Gregory covers city and county government for The Dispatch.