Southaven has a new police chief. Here's what he has planned.

Southaven has a new police chief.

Brent Vickers was sworn in as chief Tuesday morning by Mayor Darren Musselwhite in a special session of the Southaven Board of Aldermen. The 49-year-old Vickers is the first police chief in Southaven history to spend their entire law enforcement career with the Southaven Police Department. This comes one week after the board voted unanimously to approve his appointment as chief.

The new chief never expected the role to fall to him.

"I never had aspirations other than to maybe one day be a nightshift patrol supervisor," Vickers said. "I had some people who believed in me and guided me in the right direction, mentored me, pushed me, and helped me achieve something I never thought possible."

Musselwhite had nothing but praise for Vickers. The appointment marks the fourth Southaven police chief that has served under Musselwhite since his tenure as mayor began in 2013.

"The model that he has set for all the men and women in the department is incredible," Musselwhite said. "He sends a message that hard work, training and professional development can carry you all the way through the ranks."

Originally from Senatobia, Mississippi, Vickers spent six years in the Mississippi Army National Guard from 1992 to 1998 before joining Southaven Police Department in early 2000, and gradually rose through the ranks. In a statement released Monday, Musselwhite lauded Vickers' numerous achievements throughout his career, including certification for seven training programs, commendations for "lifesaving, valor, meritorious service" and more, as well his instrumental role in starting the department's body-cam program.

Vickers told The Commercial Appeal that having officers in his family was a big part of what led him to pursue a career in law enforcement.

"A lot of people in my family were either in the military or they were just involved in the community, and growing up their big focus was on service to others; selfless service not wanting anything in return," he said. "So I think it was kind of instilled in me at an early age that it was important."

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Vickers said that while the 165-officer Southaven Police Department has "a really good foundation," there's still work to be done to maintain that foundation. Retaining positive relationships with all other law enforcement agencies in DeSoto remains a priority, as well as staying a "proactive" police department that focuses on the small things. "We believe that makes a difference, those do impact quality of life," he said.

One major policy that Vickers plans to maintain is "Operation Close the Door," a policy put into place in August 2023. Close the Door, created in response to crime in Memphis, has seen an increased police presence at the state line intended to both deter crime near the border, as well as prevent those who commit crimes in DeSoto from fleeing the county. Vickers said the initiative has been effective.

"We've seen a reduction in robberies, auto burglaries and in our injury crashes," he said. "So we believe that there is value to that effort, and that effort will continue to help promote Southaven and make Southaven a great place for people to come and visit."

Vickers' appointment is proof that rising through the ranks is more than possible at Southaven Police Department, and he wants to work with his fellow officers to continue that growth inside the department.

"I do want to meet with all the officers and work with them, encourage them and let them know that if they put forth the time and effort they can achieve their goals as well, and so we're really going to focus on growth both within the department, and growing our relationships with the community."

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Growing and maintaining a positive relationship with the Southaven populace remains a priority for Vickers. He said that fostering the relationships with various community groups, as well as reaching out and creating new ones is critical to gaining community involvement, and allowing Southaven police to do their jobs "more efficiently."

"At the end of the day, I really want people to view us as having a positive relationship with them, but being a legitimate organization that has their best interests in mind."

Jacob Wilt is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal. You can reach him at jacob.wilt@commercialappeal.com.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: New Southaven Police Chief Brent Vickers talks goals for department