Ex-director of security at Ingalls Keith Davis responds to news of his departure
Keith Davis, a longtime Mississippi law enforcement officer, on Friday responded to a report that he is no longer serving as director of security at Ingalls Shipbuilding after a little over six months on the job.
Davis started serving in the role at the Pascagoula shipyard on June 23. His last day on the job was Jan. 30, according to a company spokesman. During his time as head of security, a shooting occurred at the shipyard, resulting in one death and one arrest for murder.
In a statement earlier in the week confirming the director’s departure, the Ingalls spokeswoman said, “as a matter of company policy, Ingalls does not comment on individual employment matters.”
In his statement, Davis said: “After several months of serving as Ingalls shipbuilding director of security, I chose to resign to pursue other opportunities.”
He also confirmed his last day on the job, adding, “I appreciate the opportunity to serve at Ingalls and look forward to beginning my next chapter.”
On Friday, an Ingalls spokeswoman confirmed that Davis voluntarily left the job.
Prior to joining Ingalls, Davis had a 31-year career in public service.
In addition to serving as a chief of staff for Secretary of State Michael Watson, he has served as head of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, and as a police chief at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and in the city of Moss Point.
He also worked in different capacities at other South Mississippi police departments.
Davis retired from law enforcement during his tenure in the administrative division at the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. When he retired, he held the rank of colonel and oversaw operations for Capitol Police, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Homeland Security, and the Office of Public Safety Planning. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.
This story was originally published February 6, 2026 at 4:09 PM.
