A bad encounter with a police officer led Randall Davis to a career in law enforcement.

Years ago, in Louisiana, Davis remembers sitting on the side of the road for two hours after an officer accused him of having stolen items in his truck.

Davis went to the local police station to report the incident, but no action was taken.

Instead of becoming angry, he decided to change the narrative.

“I became a law enforcement officer because of a bad police officer,” Davis said. “I was stopped and treated unfairly.”

Now, as chief of the Marion Police Department, Davis is one of many black law enforcement officers who entered the field to instill change in their community.

“I never envisioned being chief of this town,” Davis said.

Across the country, following the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, black officers are reflecting on their role in society.

“I think the situation could’ve been handled totally different than it was, seeing that other officers were around,” said Rachel McCord, a patrol officer with the Meridian Police Department. “The killings I look at today are heartbreaking. A lot of stuff could be avoided if we think first.”

McCord joined the MPD in 2018, hoping to change the way young people view the police.

“I wanted to be an officer since I was little,” McCord said. “Being a law enforcement officer allows me to get out into the community and help mentor the youth of today, so they will have a better outlook on officers. A black female in uniform – that says a lot.”

Like McCord, Senior Patrol Officer Chanetta Stevens has made it her mission to engage with young people.

By the Numbers

Of the 80 officers who work for the Meridian Police Dept., 48 are white, 30 are black, one is Native/Hawaiian, and one is American Indian. Of the 120 employees  who work for the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department, 72 are white, 46 are black, and two are Hispanic. According to the latest U.S. Census statistics, Meridian’s population is 63 percent black or African American alone and 35 percent white; Lauderdale County’s population is 54 percent white and 43 percent black or African American alone.

“Being a police officer was never a dream of mine, it was something that happened,” Stevens said. “I fell in love with the job and what I do. I feel like it was the best decision I ever made.”

Before schools were closed down during the COVID-19 pandemic, she would speak to local students, encouraging them to see police officers as their friends.

“Most of the black kids were afraid,” she said. “They told me if they saw me on the street they would run.”

And even though change can be slow, it’s happening, both women say.

McCord’s two young daughters see their mother as a role model.  

“They tell me, mommy, ‘I want to be a police officer like you when I grow up,” she said. “That’s awesome – two future officers, females at that.”

Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Walker joined the department in 2014, after serving 20 years in the U.S. Army.

“I wanted to do something different,” he said. “I wanted to make a change for the community.”

After joining the department, Walker got some push back from members of the black community, and even lost some friends. 

“Once I became an officer they quit talking to me,” he said. 

When it comes to police brutality, Walker said the actions of one person – such as the officer accused of killing Floyd – shouldn’t represent all officers.

“I don’t think they should judge all enforcement officers on a mistake that he made,” he said.

For Davis, his greatest accomplishment is when a child runs up to him and tells him he’s made an impact. 

He hopes his example will inspire them. 

“I hope that they see one day, this guy wants to be a Chief Davis or this young lady or young man wants to be part of that staff that helped to do this,” he said.