Senate Concurrent Resolution 565

(As Adopted by Senate)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING WALTHALL COUNTY CONSTABLE RAYMOND GUTTER OF TYLERTOWN, MISSISSIPPI, ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT AND COMMENDING HIS THREE-DECADE CAREER OF EFFECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICE TO HIS COUNTY AND STATE.

WHEREAS, we join the citizens of Walthall County in recognizing an outstanding law enforcement officer on the occasion of his retirement. Constable Raymond Gutter is one of the longest serving and most popular elected officials Walthall County has had; and

WHEREAS, elected in 1992, Raymond Gutter took office as Constable in January 1993. He ran in a special election called after the county was ordered to redistrict in an attempt to equalize population in the five supervisor and two judicial districts in the county; and

WHEREAS, in December 2023, Constable Gutter will complete his third decade in office. He recalls his entry into the political arena, winning his first election. Gutter later served with his former opponent when, at the end of the term, Gutter was re-elected to the constable's post in his district; and

WHEREAS, at the time, Gutter worked as an EMT for the Walthall General Hospital Ambulance Service, where he started in 1977 when he was 18 years old. After the county ambulance service was absorbed by AAA Ambulance, Gutter went to the regional service and still works there today; and

WHEREAS, Gutter said Constables are responsible for purchasing their own vehicles, the gas and insurance. They are paid a fee for the papers they serve, mostly summons by Justice Court. The county supplies them with a uniform, but they must purchase their own weapons, and they are required to qualify with the weapon annually and are required to take periodic refresher courses to stay updated on new laws; and

WHEREAS, Constable Gutter has stayed busy, between being an EMT, a church musician and farming and gardening on the side. Gutter and his sisters put out a CD of spiritual tunes titled "The Gutter Singers" 20 years ago. Around 2008, he felt called to preach, taking part in several revivals before becoming pastor at Lee's Chapel in 2018; and

WHEREAS, Gutter is also a talented musician, adept at piano, saxophone and harmonica; and

WHEREAS, we can never repay our debt to law enforcement officers, and we must do what we can, with all that we have, to live our lives in a way that pays tribute to their service:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize Walthall County Constable Raymond Gutter of Tylertown, Mississippi, on the occasion of his retirement and commend his three-decade career of effective law enforcement service to his county and state and extend to Constable Gutter our best wishes in his retirement.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Constable Raymond Gutter, forwarded to the Walthall County Board of Supervisors, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.