Local sheriff seeking unity amid racial tensions in America

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) — They said the past is etched in stone.

And for some, the past is what they may continue to hold on to. On another front, racial injustice has been brought into the spotlight.

Winston County Sheriff Jason Pugh is hoping for a positive change.

“At what point are we going to continue to fight about things that have happened that weren’t right,” said Sheriff Pugh. “We have to move forward. If we don’t, we are going to continue to stay locked in the past. I would love to say that this is going to be easy to do. Quite obviously we haven’t done a very good job of it so far. We are still having arguments that we were having 20 years ago, we are not making a lot of progress.”

When it comes to race, Pugh said it is important everyone takes a moment to see things from the other person’s perspective.

“I quite honestly realize through talking to some of my dear friends,” said Sheriff Pugh. “That I don’t always see things the way another person sees it. Especially a person of another race. You know I don’t have the same background a lot of times, I don’t have the same history and I don’t see things the way they see things. But what I have to do is realize that I’m not seeing things the way they are seeing things and be willing to try and understand how they see things.”

And with tensions taking place in America, Pugh shares a message for those looking to join law enforcement.

“I would say to people looking to get into this business, look into getting into this business to make the changes that you think are what needs to be made,” said Pugh. “Don’t look at the problems we have now, look at what you can do with it if you get here.”

Pugh said anyone in Winston County who may have questions or concerns, his door is always open to sit and down talk.