Pascagoula Gets New Police Chief

PASCAGOULA -- Kenny Johnson has been named the new head of the Pascagoula Police Department.

Johnson, who was deputy chief, replaced former Police Chief Eddie Stewart, who had served for the last two years as chief.

According to a report at www.wlox.com, Johnson has 18 years of service, and he's working with more officers to fight drugs and crime, will develop programs to prevent scams of elderly, and wants police personnel to get involved in community programs such anti-litter campaigns.

Cityofpascagoula.com says the Pascagoula Police Department consists of 107 employees, of that, 57 are sworn officers. The PPD has 4 Patrol Divisions, a Criminal Investigations Division, Court Division, Street and School Patrol Division, Traffic Division, Identification Division, Administration Division, Training Division, and Public Relations Division.

Waveland Begins New Police Station

WAVELAND -- By next fall this city will have a new public safety complex that will include a police station and Waveland City Court, according to media reports.

Waveland breaks ground on new police station

www.wlox.com

The new building, which will be located on McLaurin Street, replaces the police station lost during Hurricane Katrina.

Work starts on library, police station

www.sunherald.com

The $5.9 million building will be named for a 27-year officer, Donald Dorn, who was Waveland's first police chief, and the late Mayor Johnny Longo. James Varnell is the current police chief.

At the above and other links hear what police officials and Mayor Tommy Longo said about Waveland's new public safety complex as well as the city's new public library. Groundbreakings for both building will be held this weekend.

Officers Byrd, Gaston Share a Day

                                                            Frederick Gaston III

                                                                                                                  Photo of Byrd unavailable at this time

Two former law enforcement officers who had served in Moss Point and Pascagoula share a day that has its yearly anniversary in late March.

Frederick Gaston III., who was a deputy with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department when he was shot to death in 2008, was born March 27, 1959. He was 49 years old. 

On that same date Patrolman Micheal Byrd, a member of the Pascagoula Police Department, lost his life in a motorcycle accident on Chicot Road in 2006. At the time of Byrd's death, Gaston was with the Gulfport Police Department. 

Gaston had served with the Moss Point Police Department since 2007, and was interim police chief from January to mid-summer 2008.

Gaston had only recently become a deputy for the county agency led by Byrd's father, Sheriff Mike Byrd. Gaston was on his way to military training in Virginia when he was killed during a robbery in Gastonia, N.C., on Aug. 2, 2008. 

Byrd was on his way to Singing River Hospital to see a newborn nephew when he swerved to avoid a collision with a vehicle and was thrown off his motorcycle, then tragically run over by a truck. 

The familes of the two men still pay homage to their lives on their shared day -- March 27 -- as well as the differing days of birth. 

Byrd would have turned 30 years old this coming April 11. He was born in 1979.