Vernon Dampier has been hired as an investigator for the Jefferson Davis County Sheriff’s Department.

Dampier began his law enforcement career in 2012 as a detention officer at the Simpson County Sheriff’s Department. He came to work with the Jefferson Davis County Sheriff’s Department in 2015 as a deputy.

He finished the academy at MLEOTA in August 2017 and then left the Jefferson Davis County Sheriff’s Department in 2020 to work as an officer for the Magee Police Department.  He was named Officer of the Year and Drug Officer of the Year in 2021 at MPD and had 24 felony drug cases.

Dampier says he’s ecstatic to be back, especially as an investigator so he can make a difference. “My whole goal by coming back was to protect home,” said Dampier. “It’s always good to come back home.”

Dampier believes in order for businesses to grow and the school to grow, the community has to be protected. “I want to build a strong department so the community can believe in us and we can protect them and I am happy to be working alongside Sheriff Strickland.”

Dampier is a 2005 graduate of Prentiss High School. He and his wife and daughter live just outside Prentiss on Highway 42.

“I came back to be a beacon of light, a beacon of hope to draw people into law enforcement and believe in it so we can protect and serve the citizens.”

Dampier has also previously worked as a school resource officer at Jefferson Davis County High School.

“Dampier has previous experience with the Jefferson Davis County Sheriff’s Office, and I think he will be an asset to our department,” said JDC Sheriff Ron Strickland.