Big crowd comes out for meet and greet with new sheriff

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Lowndes County residents got a chance to meet their new sheriff and his command team.

In front of a big crowd, Sheriff Eddie Hawkins told the crowd about his goals for the department and some of the changes they’re making.

Hawkins planned to implement community watch programs and also utilize the new P-3 Tips crime reporting app.

Hawkins said it’s going to take the community and law enforcement working together to help keep the community safe.

“We’re trying to get more community involvement and get people in our community to work with the sheriff’s department, and provide information that leads to the arrest of violators that are committing crimes out here in our community,” said Sheriff Hawkins. “With bringing the public in like this it gives a chance for them to meet us and our staff and some of the deputies that work out in the community, so this is a good way to get the community more involved.”

“With him (Hawkins)  being here, it’s going to take more than him trying to do this by himself, it’s going to take all of us,” said Joe Peoples, pastor of Stephens Chapel. “We need to be hands and feet to inform them, especially when you see somebody doing wrong. What it is now is we’ve got too many people saying, I don’t want to get involved, but if you see something report it”

The sheriff’s department will host three more community meetings throughout the county.

The next one will be in Crawford on March 19, followed by another one in New Hope on March 24, and then in Caledonia on April 9.

All of the meetings will begin at 6:00 p.m.