Sheriff's Office adds three patrol deputies

Hopkins County Sheriff ’s Office is adding three additional patrol deputies to the roster and will be partnering with Lamar County for additional resources through the Auto Theft Task Force.

HCSO Sheriff Lewis Tatum explained that the state gives the county $350,000 annually for law enforcement purposes. If officers are paid a certain amount, the funding can be used for any other law enforcement purpose. The sheriff ’s office will be utilizing the funding to put three additional deputies on the street.

Kyle Shelton is already on the street as a deputy. Mark Holcomb was sworn in during Hopkins County Commissioners Court Monday morning. Melvin Moore will be the third deputy; he is completing the last of his training at the police academy and is scheduled to graduate very soon. Tatum said the new deputies will be placed on-duty on shifts where needed the most.

HCSO Sgt. Todd Evans will also be joining officials from other counties in the Auto Theft Task Force. Funding is made available to reimburse Evans’ salary at the sheriff ’s office, and it will give HCSO access to additional tools and resources, such as facial recognition software, to aid in crime fighting.

Tatum said while participation in the task force will mean Evans will work outside of Hopkins County to aid in investigation of vehicle thefts and burglaries, he will be primarily located in within the administrative area of Hopkins County Law Enforcement Center.

While the county will be reimbursed for all officers’ salaries, the county will be responsible for pay-ing $26,378 in benefits and fuel for vehicles the sheriff ’s officers drive.

Hopkins County Commissioners Court Monday morning approved an inter- local agreement between the City of Paris and Hopkins County so that Evans’ salary can be reimbursed with Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority Grant funding for fiscal year 2024.