House Concurrent Resolution 55

(As Adopted by House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING CHIEF GARY PONTHIEUX, JR., FOR HIS MANY YEARS OF DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVICE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CONGRATULATING HIM UPON HIS RETIREMENT.

WHEREAS, Chief Gary Ponthieux, Jr., of the Bay St. Louis Police Department has decided to retire after 28 years of selfless service in law enforcement in protection of the citizens of South Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, a native of Bay St. Louis, Chief Ponthieux currently resides in Pass Christian with the love of his life, Kacey Edwards, and their children, Luci and Max; and

WHEREAS, he earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice with a double minor in forensic science and psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, in preparation for his public service career in law enforcement, he attended the Hattiesburg Police Department Law Enforcement Academy in 1994, where he received the highest academic award; and

WHEREAS, he officially began his law enforcement journey with the Gulfport Police Department as a police officer, where he quickly worked his way up to Narcotics Detective and served from April 1995 through January 2003, until he was promoted to Criminal Investigations Detective Sergeant; and

WHEREAS, he worked diligently to serve the Gulfport community until November 2017, when he moved on as Chief of Police of the Bay St. Louis Police Department where he spent five years protecting and serving the community until he retired; and

WHEREAS, between Gulfport and Bay St. Louis, he has cumulatively provided 28 years of unwavering service to the citizens of South Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, as evidence of his stellar work ethic, he has received numerous awards from community organizations, such as the Gulfport Rotary Club and Gulfport Chamber of Commerce; and

WHEREAS, since his retirement, he has taken a position with the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), a DEA task force that targets high-intensity drug trafficking and money laundering organizations; and

WHEREAS, throughout his career, he has continuously gone above and beyond to answer the call of public service and embodied the virtuous qualities of integrity, hard work, and selflessness that South Mississippians expect from their public servants; and

WHEREAS, it is most appropriate to commend the life-long service of heroic law enforcement officers who are also committed public servants who love their families:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend Chief Gary Ponthieux, Jr., for his many years of dedicated public service in law enforcement and congratulate him upon his retirement.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Chief Gary Ponthieux, Jr., and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.