In a landmark event for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety (MSDPS), sworn law enforcement officers convened at the Mississippi Trademart for the first-ever general assembly. Notable figures, including Governor Tate Reeves, Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann, Commissioner Sean Tindell, and Mississippi Highway Patrol Colonel Randy Ginn, addressed the gathering.
During the assembly, Colonel Randy Ginn, who assumed the role of Mississippi Highway Patrol Colonel in June 2020, announced his retirement after an illustrious 36-year career. His retirement is set to take effect on December 31, 2023. Ginn previously served as Lt. Colonel and Chief of the uniformed division for four years before his promotion to Colonel.
Governor Tate Reeves expressed gratitude for Colonel Ginn’s dedicated service, while also announcing the promotion of Lt. Colonel Charles Haynes to the position of Colonel of the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Ginn endorsed Haynes, emphasizing his confidence in Haynes’s ability to lead the organization to new heights.
In response to his retirement, Colonel Ginn expressed appreciation for his career and confidence in Colonel Charles Haynes as his successor. Commissioner Sean Tindell acknowledged Ginn’s selfless service and praised his contribution to making Mississippi a safer place.
Lt. Colonel Charles Haynes, currently serving as the Director of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI), was unveiled as the incoming Colonel of the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Haynes, with nearly 20 years of law enforcement experience, including a tenure with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is set to assume the role on January 1, 2023.
Commissioner Sean Tindell hailed Haynes’s dedication and experience, expressing confidence in his ability to provide strong leadership, safety, and progress for the state. The announcement marked a historic moment for the agency, with this general assembly being the first of its kind in the history of MSDPS.
Commissioner Tindell, in his address to the officers, stressed the importance of collaboration and collective efforts to enhance public safety in Mississippi. He asserted, “DPS can only be its best when each of you are at your best.” The event concluded with a forward-looking perspective on the agency’s future under the leadership of Colonel Charles Haynes.
