Video: Residents Celebrate A Local Leader

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) — Columbus residents are celebrating the many years one local leader has served on their police force.

For several years, Joe Johnson, Jr. has been a calming force during tough times and trials as a police officer.

They held a reception Sunday in his honor, after he retired last month.

Johnson has served on the Columbus police department for 40 years.

Johnson has had many roles while on the force, but he was most recently, the Assistant Chief Of Police.

“I appreciate their dedication and trust. And its not about me today, its about them who dedicated themselves to me with their trust, ” said Johnson.

Johnson says throughout his years of service, he has seen many changes as the industry advances.

” We have more dedicated and educated officers now. The ones in the past, they were dedicated also, they were the ones that set the tone for the officers that we have now, ” said Johnson.

Selvain McQueen and Johnson served on the police force for 20 years together. He says Johnson is a leader both on the force and off.

“Chief Johnson was a pillar not only of the community but a solid performer. Certainly i’ve already left, he will be sorely missed. He was a person that was a calm during a storm, ” said McQueen.

And even though Johnson has retired, he plans to stay busy and active in the community.

“Its not a sit down time for me. It is a time now of activity. I’m going to do things now that I’ve been wanting to do for several years, ” said Johnson.

Johnson officially retired on June 30.