On January 4, during a traffic stop, deputy Jeremy Malone was killed in the line of duty. 

   This came as a great shock to the county and will forever change the sheriff’s department. However, from this devastating loss, the county has shown its support and its kindness towards his family, as well as to the sheriff’s department.

   “It’s a lot of churches and businesses and the individual citizens, it was just like the whole county put their arms around us,” Sheriff Mitchell Mixon said. 

   There have been many ministers coming in and out of the sheriff’s office to pray or talk with some of the officers. There have also been enormous amounts of food donated. From companies such as Popeyes and Walmart to churches and individual people bringing in food for everyone in the department.

   “The community has helped a lot, they’ve brought us food and drinks for the officers,” Chief Deputy Dominique Rufful said. 

   As well as the county reaching out so has surrounding counties.

   “We’ve had agencies all the way from Jackson county to Biloxi, Diberville, send in officers to cover these guys’ shifts,” said Rufful. 

   The following week after the loss of Malone the deputies were given time off to deal with grief. There were officers from surrounding counties at the ready to fill in.

   However, it doesn’t stop here, the sheriff’s department has also received national support. 

   “These are condolence cards and letters that I have received from all over the United States,”  Mitchell said, “There coming in from every state, I think the last one I opened was from Puerto Rico from a police department down there.” 

   There were many people in law enforcement from all over the country attending Malone’s funeral, but even the ones who could not make it wrote letters, made cards and in some form or another showed their condolences to the county.

  This county has done a great deal for the Sheriff’s department to get through this tough time.