Sheriff
 | Clay County Sheriff's Department Laddie Huffman, your Sheriff since 1992 |
| Address: Clay County Sheriff's Department 330 W Broad St West Point, MS 39773 Phone for Sheriff's Department: (662) 494-2896 Fax: (662) 494-4034 Phone to reach the Jail: (662) 494-2712 In case of emergency, call 911. |  |
| Mission | Sheriff's Bio | Clay County Jail | Crime Prevention | Image Gallery | Contact Us |
Mission
The Clay County Sheriff's Department will work in true partnership with our fellow citizens to provide security, deter crime, and respond to emergencies.
We will accomplish this by serving our fellow citizens with a continuing commitment of integrity and honor.
By doing these things, we will protect life and property and continue to make Clay County the great place to live that it is today.
 | I am a life-long resident of Clay County. I graduated from West Point High School in 1967 and, after serving in the United States Army, received a Bachelor of Science degree from Mississippi State University in 1975. I have been married to the former Dale Wilkerson for 30 years. We have four children: Angela, Jeff, Joseph and Jacob. |
Under our leadership, your Sheriff’s Department has been recognized by state and federal agencies for its efforts to provide firm, but fair, law enforcement without regard to race, wealth, or social standing. We will faithfully continue to carry out the duties of the office in this manner in the future.
In addition, your Sheriff’s Department has set many records since the citizens of Clay County gave us the responsibility of properly carrying out the duties of this office. As a result of this record-setting pace, the felony docket maintained by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office reflects a continuous decline in felony investigations. We also continue to maintain a high rank for resolving crimes such as burglary, grand larceny, etc. which is higher than the national average.
We continue to accomplish much in the area of drug enforcement and have taken the lead in closing down major drug operations, which include crystal methamphetamine operations, cocaine and marijuana.
The knowledge I gained from the experience listed above is very beneficial, but ticket writing, solving burglaries and arresting drug dealers is just a portion of the Sheriff’s duties. The Sheriff serves in many other areas such as: overseeing the operation of the jail and maintenance of all county buildings. We have made the necessary repairs to save the Ivy Memorial building which houses the Clay County Jail, Forestry Commission, Home Extension Office, Veterans Office, the Food Pantry (for those in need) and the Clay County Justice Court. We also added a juvenile detention facility.
We must continue to maintain a working relationship with state and federal officials to maintain a safe and efficient jail system. The Sheriff’s Department must also work with local agencies to provide assistance with inmate labor and provide rehabilitation resources such as GED, alcohol and drug rehabilitation and spiritual development for the inmates. We have assisted in establishing programs in schools and churches throughout the county to teach the dangers of drugs, gangs and other criminal activities.
We have assisted in the development and presentation of awareness programs to Neighborhood Watch and Senior Citizens Groups such as Triad. We will continue to maintain these important programs and will create others as needed for the benefit of all citizens of Clay County.
Sheriff Laddie Huffman and his Jail Administration personnel have implemented a plan to achieve acceditation of the Jail by the American Correctional Association (ACA).
Achieving ACA accreditation demonstrates that the Clay County Jail has competent and well trained personnel, has a safe environment for staff and inmates, and most importantly, has established measurable criteria for grading performance and upgrading operations.
ACA accreditation is important as the Jail has recently undergone an expansion that increases its capacity to house up to 150 inmates. All construction has been carried out by inmate labor under close supervision by Jail Personnel thus keeping costs to the county very low.
Sheriff Huffman's ongoing efforts to achieve ACA certification positions the jail to operate more efficiently under set guidelines that will ultimately reduce the county's exposure to lawsuits which translates to lower insurance costs.
Ths mission of the Clay County Jail is to provide and promote public safety through efficient and effective offender custody, care control, and treatment consistent with sound correctional principles and constitutional standards.
The Clay County Jail is a professional agency that adheres to the values of integrity, honesty, and openness in all of its practices. In law enforcement, we believe the safety of the public is of the utmost importance and fundamental to our mission. Recognizing that people make an organization, we value all of our employees and are committed to their professional development and well being. We are committed to assisting offenders in becoming productive law-abiding citizens. As a law enforcement agency, we provide excellence in public service and strive to continually improve on it.
The TRIAD concept, the agreement of law enforcement agencies in a county and Senior Citizens or retired persons in the community, is a partnership to address crime issues which affect older citizens and the enhanced delivery of law enforcement services to these mature persons.
The Clay County TRIAD Chapter was established in 2004. Since 2004 the TRIAD purchased 600 E-911 Reflective signs and 300 Emergency Beacon Lights that have been provided to Clay County Senior Citizens which gives First Responders the ability to locate homes with ease and aid in the decrease of response time; 576 Key Alert Alarms which provide our Seniors with a sense of security when out in public by providing them with a panic alarm and a flashlight; and over 500 ink pens containing anti-check washing ink.
The Clay County TRIAD Chapter meets the third Wednesday of every month at 10:00 am in the Mississippi Highway Patrol Room, located at the Clay County Sheriff’’s Department.
Neighborhood Watch is one of the oldest and most effective crime prevention programs in the country, bringing citizens together with law enforcement to deter crime and make communities safer.
Sponsored by the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA), Neighborhood Watch can trace its roots back to the days of colonial settlements, when night watchmen patrolled the streets. The modern version of Neighborhood Watch was developed in response to requests from sheriffs and police chiefs who were looking for a crime prevention program that would involve citizens and address an increasing number of burglaries. For more information and tips about Neighborhood Watch, visit the National Crime Prevention Council's website.
CRIMESTOPPERS was started in 1976 in Albuquerque, New Mexico by Greg MacAleese, a concerned 4-year veteran of the Albuquerque Police Department. By 1982 more than 300 communities in the United States had similar programs and the program went International the same year. Now, there are thousands of similar programs throughout the world and they have become one of the most effective anti-crime programs in existence.
CRIMESTOPPERS uses a very ingenious way help solve crimes: REWARD FOR INFORMATION. The use of information, whether from concerned citizens or paid informants, has played a vital role in the success of police work since the earliest times. Each caller is guaranteed anonymity with various codes and key words used for identification purposes, and rewards are offered in cash.
GOLDEN TRIANGLE CRIMESTOPPERS was formed on October 31, 1991 and includes Oktibbeha, Lowndes, Clay, Monroe and Noxubee Counties. GOLDEN TRIANGLE CRIMESTOPPERS is a unique crime fighting tool creating a partnership between the media, private citizens, businesses and all of law enforcement within these counties in an organized effort to solve crimes.
GOLDEN TRIANGLE CRIMESTOPPERS receives NO city, county, state or federal funding. It is fully supported by voluntary contributions/donations from private sources, corporations, civic clubs or social groups, professional organizations, retailers, and concerned citizens. Funds for CRIMESTOPPERS are also collected through Oktibbeha County Justice Court from traffic citations upon conviction. Fifty cents (.50) is given to CRIMESTOPPERS form each traffic conviction. These donations provide reward monies and basic operating costs of the organization.
CRIMESTOPPERS works, but it needs you support to continue to be successful. Contributions to Crimestoppers are needed on a continuous basis. The greater the success of the program, the greater the need for funds. Citizen involvement is our greatest asset in assisting law enforcement. Volunteers can also help with publicity, mailings, fund raising events and programs sponsored by CRIMESTOPPERS.
HOW DOES CRIMESTOPPERS WORK?
Each week, an unsolved crime is featured in local newspapers, radio and television. These mediums are used to reach those people who may have information about a crime and let them know that if their information leads to an arrest and conviction of a crime, they can be eligible for a reward up to $1000. The caller remains anonymous and is given a specific code number to be used. In all future contacts, the caller is identifies only by code number to maintain his/her anonymity.
The information received through CRIMESTOPPERS is then forwarded to the Agency which has jurisdiction on this crime. When the information leads to arrest, the Agency notifies CRIMESTOPPERS. This is included in the monthly report brought before the Board of Directors and the amount of reward is then determined. The caller is then advised how and when to collect the reward and anonymity is still maintained.
WHO BENEFITS FROM CRIMESTOPPERS? YOU DO!
Criminals are apprehended, prosecuted, convicted and sent to prison
- Stolen property is recovered and returned to the owner
- Other crimes may be solved in conjunction with this case
- Hundreds of investigative hours are saved allowing manpower to be used in other areas
 |  | |
| This showcases the renovation of the Ivy Memorial Hospital into the Clay County Justice Complex, again using salvage material and inmate labor. Shown here is the courtroom. The reconstruction was designed to transport prisoners to the Court within a secure facility, never leaving the building or exposed to the public. | Clay County Sanitation truck with state inmates who pick up trash and help keep the roads of Clay County clean. |
Contact Us
Please feel free to contact any of our staff at the email addresses below or by calling (662) 494-2896.
| Laddie Huffman | Sheriff | lhuffman@claycountyms.com |
| Eddie Scott | Chief Deputy | escott@claycountyms.com |
| Bobby Randle | Jail Administrator | brandle@claycountyms.com |
| Ramirez Williams | Chief Investigator | rwilliams@claycountyms.com |
| Bobby Grimes | Cold Case Investigator | bgrimes@claycountyms.com |
| Debbie Ingram | Sheriff's Secretary | dingram@claycountyms.com |
| Patty Goff | Jail Records Clerk | pgoff@claycountyms.com |