By Eloria Newell James, community@laurelleadercall.com
WAYNESBORO — Waynesboro’s newest top cop says he hopes to make the Waynesboro Police Department “more community oriented.”
After a little over two months of being in office, Waynesboro Chief Jimmy Bunch said he has several goals for his department.
Bunch, who was sworn in on Oct. 6th, has been working to change some things.
Shortly after taking office, Bunch and the Waynesboro Police Department joined the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, Brent Pursell and the South Mississippi Narcotics Task Force in a multi-agency drug roundup that began on Oct. 22nd.
As a part of the roundup, 20 arrest warrants were issued and officials arrested the suspects in connection with a variety of drug charges.
Bunch said the roundup was just one of the signs that his department will be aggressively involved in ridding the community of drugs and violence.
“We are doing well with finding the suspects on our list. However, we will be continuing our efforts of working together to combat the drug problem,” Bunch said. “We are going to step up our efforts here in Waynesboro.”
Bunch is well acquainted with the area.
Bunch, who is a native of Waynesboro, has 24 years of experience with the police department.
He is a graduate of Waynesboro Central High School. He also attended Jones County Junior College where he majored in criminal justice and the Laurel Police Academy.
Bunch began with the Waynesboro Police Department in 1986 as a patrolman. He later became an agent with the Wayne County Metro Narcotics Unit, that later became the South Mississippi Narcotics Task Force.
The new police chief is married and has two sons.
Bunch served four years as assistant police chief before becoming the chief of police.
As the new leader of the city’s police department — which has 12 full-time officers, two part-time officers and two narcotics agents — Bunch said he has goals for his department.
Like most communities, Bunch agreed, that drugs are a problem in the area.
“Drugs are an increasing problem in all our cities and counties,” Bunch said. “We are going to have to step up our enforcement.”
Bunch said his goal is also to make the city’s police department “more community-oriented.”
“We want to treat everybody right, under the law,” he said. “I would like to increase the number of officers on the street and provide the citizens with adequate service.”
Bunch said several of the people arrested in the October roundup are not first-time offenders.
“Some of the dealers charged in this roundup have been caught and successfully prosecuted in the past,” the police chief said. “We are encouraging the District Attorney’s Office and others to make sure they get some jail time.
“We want to make our communities and city a safe place to live and raise a family,” the new chief added. “Waynesboro is a great city and a great place to live.”
