The Mississippi Department of Public Safety has begun reviewing police operations in Moss Point following the resignations of Police Chief Brandon Ashley and most of the city’s sworn officers.

Mayor Billy Knight requested the assessment from Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell, asking for recommendations on how to strengthen the department and improve public safety.

Josh Bromen, director of the MDPS Office of Public Safety and Planning, is leading the review this week, Tindell said. His work has included interviews with Ashley and the remaining officers, including five scheduled to leave at the end of the day on Friday. The review also covers investigative files and other department operations.

“I’m sure Director Bromen is meeting with them to see what they could do to meet accreditation standards and improve the efficiency of the Police Department,” Tindell said Wednesday.

Once the review is complete, Bromen will submit a list of recommendations to the mayor. When asked if those recommendations could include a partnership with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department to police Moss Point, Tindell said that was not requested as part of the evaluation. Still, he said that option could be considered.

“I think it could be considered and should be evaluated, but that is really up to the cities to make that decision,” Tindell said. “I believe, if done properly with a good working relationship and appropriate resources, it could work perfectly.”

City advertises for new chief

So far, the city has not expressed interest in such a paid partnership. Instead, it began advertising this week for a new police chief, offering a salary range of $65,000 to $80,412. The position will not include civil service protection.

In the meantime, officials voted on Tuesday night to appoint Dennis Stevenson, a retired Mississippi state trooper and current pastor of New Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Moss Point. Stevenson began his career at the Biloxi Police Department, where he served for four years before joining the MDPS, retiring in 2024 after 27 years of service as a state trooper..

The city also interviewed former Police Chief Art McClung for the interim position, but selected Stevenson in a 6-1 vote, with Alderman Darius Wilson abstaining.

Former Police Chief Calvin Hutchins, now a constable and local minister, attended the meeting to find who the city would consider for the interim chief’s position.

“This is an important position to hold within the city, and as a constable who has worked closely with the local chiefs and the sheriff, I wanted to make sure that I continue to work closely with whoever was selected for the betterment of the city.

“Now that a decision has been made I will offer my support to assist him with any concerns or questions he may have.”

City officials hope to have a new police chief hired within 30 to 45 days, Knight said in an address to the city and in a letter sent to city employees Thursday.

Ashley’s resignation came in the aftermath of his unpaid five-day suspension for failing to report to inform city officials about the arrest of former Police K-9 Officer Craig Chandler on a charge of misdemeanor domestic violence. Chandler has since been convicted of the offense.

Ashley successfully appealed his unpaid suspension to the Civil Service Commission, but dropped the appeal when the city agreed to reinstate his pay and remove the suspension from his record.

Ashley’s last day on the job is Friday.

Selecting interim chief

At Monday’s Board of Aldermen meeting, Knight said three men had expressed interest in the interim role and that the city hoped to have someone in place by Thursday.

The Board is scheduled to meet again Thursday.

Once an interim chief is appointed, the mayor said that person will meet with Sheriff John Ledbetter to determine the city’s temporary needs so that they can be covered.

In the address on Wednesday evening, Knight stated that state police and Ledbetter have assured him that they will deploy officers to help patrol the streets in the interim.

That enforcement, he said, will include state police saturating the city to “help us with our drug issues.”

Ledbetter told the Sun Herald he is already making arrangements within the Sheriff’s Department to cover calls for service in the city of Moss Point.

“But we are still planning based on whatever decision is made in Moss Point,” he said.

“We have to move some personnel out of other positions in a way that does not hurt enforcement in the rest of the county to make sure calls are answered in the city of Moss Point,” Ledbetter said.

Police chief turnover in Moss Point

Until Ashley took over, Moss Point has grappled with finding police chiefs whose tenure lasted more than a few years.

Since 2000, the city of Moss Point has had 8 police chiefs. Those include:

2000-2002 -- Butch Gager (resigned)
2002-2005 -- Michael Ricks (resigned)
2005-2007-- Demetrius Drakeford (resigned)
2008 - 2011 - Sheila Smallman (fired)
2011-2014 -- Keith Davis (resigned)
2014-2016 -- Art McClung (fired)
2017 -2018 - Calvin Hutchins (resigned)
2018 - present - Brandon Ashley (resigned)

A look at police salaries over the years

Before Ashley was hired as police chief, the Sun Herald filed a public records request for a list of salaries for Moss Point police chiefs dating back to 2008. Here’s the list:

Sheila Smallman - $55,702 (June 24, 2008 to March 2, 2011). City officials fired Smallman in 2011 after city leaders said they lost confidence in her abilities as police chief.
Keith Davis - $60,000 to $69,999 (May 16, 2011 to June 27, 2014). Davis left because of a “deteriorating” relationship with former mayor Billy Broomfield. He is now head of security at Ingalls Shipbuilding.
Arthur “Art” McClung - $72,827 (Jan. 6, 2015 to Sept. 13, 2016). McClung was fired after the Sun Herald revealed how he was stopped by Pascagoula police in 2016 for driving 109 mph after having “at least three vodkas.” The Sun Herald obtained dash-cam footage from two Pascagoula police patrol cars to expose the incident that had otherwise gone unreported.
Calvin Hutchins - $69,999 (March 27, 2017 to Feb. 9, 2018). Hutchins, a veteran Pascagoula police officer, served as police chief until he left to serve as head of the police force in the Pascagoula-Gautier School District. He is also a constable.
Brandon Ashley- $80,000 at the time of his resignation

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