Demarcus Peeples protects and serves the people of Derma
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Demarcus Peeples is the town of Derma's new chief of police. An experienced law enforcement officer, Peeples looks to rebuild the small town's police station over the coming years.
DERMA – Demarcus Peeples was not looking to become the next Police Chief of Derma, but providence intervened.
Earlier this year, he purchased some land at a tax sale. He stopped by the Derma Town Hall just to make sure he didn't owe any taxes on the property. The lady who waited on him asked if he was in law enforcement.
"She said that they were looking for a chief and said I should apply," Peeples said.
He thought about it and put in an application. The city called him about three weeks ago asking if he was still interested. He was, and he met with the mayor and board of aldermen, who hired him in a special meeting on June 22.
Peeples, 36, was on the job the next day.
"I wasn't looking. The job came to me," Peeples said. "I put God first. I just walked into a blessing,"
And the citizens of Derma got a chief with 14 years experience who is a certified training officer, a member of the Homeland Security Field Force Operation Unit and the Human Trafficking Task Force with the Mississippi Attorney General's Office.
His father was in law enforcement and Peeples knew at an early age that it would be his career path as well.
"We used to watch him getting ready for work and stand at the door and wave as he got in the patrol car and left," Peeples said. "He was a good role model. He taught me to hunt and fish and all the things you need to do as a man."
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Derma Police Chief Demarcus Peeples walks among his department's patrol vehicles.
The Carroll County native was first hired by the Vaiden Police Department in 2012. He went through the police academy at Mississippi Delta Community College in Moorhead. After gaining some experience in policing, he moved 30 miles up the road and joined the bigger department at Grenada.
"My first week there, I worked a murder on Sweethome Road," Peeples said. "I had to wait in a room at the hospital with the body waiting for the coroner to show."
The experience got him accustomed early to dealing with death and dying.
"It's become second nature," Peeples said. "Now the only thing that gets to me is when a child is involved."
At 27, he became one of the youngest police chiefs in the state when he took over the police department at West, a town of 200 in Holmes County. He said he took the part-time job to get experience on the administrative side of policing.
"I got a feel for that side of the job and met a lot of great people," Peeples said.
He stayed at West for around three years while retaining his slot on the roster of the Grenada PD.
When Derma officials decided they needed more than a part-time chief, they reached out to Peeples.
He currently has four officers but plans to submit the names of two more potential officers to the town board at the July meeting.
"We are a 24-hour department. My goal is to rebuild the department to provide more safety to the community," Peeples said.
Part of that task is to get more full-time officers on the city payroll.
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Derma Police Chief Demarcus Peeples enters a patrol vehicle.
He also plans to reach out and get more involved with the city's youth in a proactive effort. In the coming weeks, he is going to put on a five-day youth academy that will include physical training, introducing them to police equipment and techniques as well as discussions about the law.
He plans to carry the proactive police idea into patrolling as well.
"I want officers to be more visible in the community, and not just traffic stops," Peeples said. "I want to be out in the community, letting people know I'm here if they need me. My goal is that, within a year, we will see a decrease in crime, whether it's burglary, drugs or shoplifting."
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