Mississippi DPS Commissioner Sean Tindell completes successful first year at the helm

Commissioner Tindell was appointed by Governor Tate Reeves to lead the Mississippi Department of Public Safety in May 2020. 

As the Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Sean Tindell oversees the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers’ Training Academy, Driver Service Bureau, Mississippi Office of Homeland Security, Mississippi Forensics Laboratory, State Medical Examiner’s Office, Crime Stoppers, and Public Safety Planning.

Commissioner Tindell currently manages over 1,100 employees throughout the state.

Several highlights from his first year in office include the roll-out of the “Skip the Line” program which allows drivers to make reservations to be issued permits and licenses.

Through legislation in 2021, the Mississippi Department of Transportation was given additional law enforcement functions under DPS. MDOT officers are now allowed to run radar on interstates in larger cities like Jackson, where they could not do so previously.

Through his time overseeing DPS, the department has implemented the Mississippi’s Most Wanted List. This list assists law enforcement agencies across the state in getting fugitives off the streets. 

“We faced a lot of challenges throughout the year, I can say that it’s been quite a challenging year. We’ve had federally declared natural disasters, protests of police that we’ve dealt with, protests at the Capitol, we got a new president, there’s just been a lot of changes this year. But with that, we’ve seen a lot of good things,” said Commissioner Tindell.

Tindell has overseen the MHP Cadet Class 65 that started in March in which 46 cadets are graduating to help make highways and interstates safer throughout the state.

“It’s been quite a busy year. We had major legislation that came through during the 2021 legislative session that effects the Department of Public Safety,” said Commissioner Tindell, “We’re growing the agency and we’re excited about these changes.”