JACKSON, Miss — The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks has named the first African American chief of its law enforcement bureau.
Col. Jerry Carter will oversee the work of 160 officers statewide.
Carter is an Army veteran. He began his career with the department in 1988 as a conservation officer assigned to his home area of Leflore County.
Carter has served many roles within the department. He has been a boater and hunter education administrator, coordinator of communications and commander of the honor guard.
The state agency was founded in 1932.
Read the full news release below:
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks is pleased to announce the promotion of Lt. Col. Jerry Carter to Colonel, and Chief of the Law Enforcement Bureau with the Agency. In this capacity, Colonel Carter will oversee the daily operations of the one of the State’s premier law enforcement organizations with more than 160 sworn officers deployed statewide.
Colonel Carter is a native of Morgan City in Leflore County, Mississippi and is the third sibling of five children born to the late Joe and Elnora Carter. He is a 1982 graduate of Leflore County High School in Itta Bena, and a 2018 graduate of Mississippi Valley State University where he received a bachelor degree in criminal justice, and will complete all requirements for a master’s degree in 2021.
A proud U.S. Army veteran, Colonel Carter began his career with the department in 1988 as a Conservation Officer assigned to Leflore County, and moved successfully through the ranks having served in various county enforcement, and leadership capacities. His previous assignments include Boater/Hunter Education Administrator, Coordinator of Communications, Commander of the Honor Guard, Emergency Management Coordinator, and Commander of the North Mississippi Law Enforcement Region to name a few.
Colonel Carter is now making history in the State of Mississippi by becoming the first African American to become Chief of the Law Enforcement Bureau since the creation of the agency in 1932. He credits this achievement first to God, family, friends, colleagues past and present, and the sporting public of Mississippi.
“I am truly grateful for this opportunity afforded me by the Executive Director Dr. Sam Polles, and my predecessor Colonel Steve Adcock, and the trust placed in me to move the Law Enforcement Bureau forward. I am totally committed to the agency’s mission, and to providing quality law enforcement services to the citizenry of our Great State” said Carter.
For more information regarding hunting or fishing in Mississippi, visit our website at www.mdwfp.com or call us at (601) 432-2400. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mdwfp or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDWFPonline.
