Pontotoc Police Chief retiring after over four decades of service
Chief Randy Tutor has overseen the department through growth, technology additions and one of the lowest crime rates in the state
PONTOTOC, Miss. (WCBI) – For his last lunch break as a police officer, Pontotoc Chief Randy Tutor was the guest of honor at a party in the municipal courtroom.
Tutor has been the chief for eleven years. During that time, the size of the police department has more than doubled, and the crime rate is one of the lowest in the state. Chief Tutor said that it is a major accomplishment, considering the number of people who come to town every day for work.
“A lot of people don’t understand about Pontotoc, unless you live here, our census is about 6,500, but at any given time our daily population is around 30 thousand,” Chief Tutor said.
Chief Tutor began his career in law enforcement in 1982 as a deputy at the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office. He also worked with the Pontotoc Police Department and was a detective at Tupelo. Tutor even spent 2 years overseas as a law enforcement advisor to the military. And most recently, Tutor was president of the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police.
He said there have been many changes during his career, particularly in training and technology.
“If you had told me when I started that I would have to wear a camera every day, I would have laughed at you. We issued body cams, and it has helped us tremendously. In this line of work, we have to be as perfect as we can be, or we are the bad guy,” Tutor said.
The chief said all officers appreciate the support from the community.
“You see all this stuff on TV, defund the police, we are lucky here, I would say statewide, we are lucky. Most of the people want us and know what value we have,” he said.
Tutor said he will miss working with the people in the Pontotoc Police Department, but he is glad to know his longtime deputy chief, Bob Poe, will be taking the lead.
Tutor said he doesn’t have any definite plans, other than to spend more time with his family and grandkids.
