Welcome to the MS PBA web
site. The purpose of this site is to inform law enforcement and
correctional officers of the many benefits and services
available to them as PBA members. In addition, we hope to
educate the general public of the many issues that our law
enforcement officers face on a daily basis. I hope you will take
time to view our web site and learn about the many PBA
membership benefits available such as the legal defense and
salary replacement.
As a professional law enforcement association, we also are
involved in the electoral process of federal, state, and local
leaders in Mississippi and provide legislative representation to
our membership. We protect our members from unjust and frivolous
actions arising from their official duties, while also striving
to make positive changes in their employment benefits and work
environment through political action.
Since 2002, the Mississippi
PBA has initiated legislation to increase the death benefit for
officers killed in the line of duty. As a result the death
benefit went from $10,000 to $20,000 and currently stands at
$40,000 which is about the average of the southeastern states. A
revenue fund was also established from which this benefit will
be paid. We initiated legislation to protect officers from the
harassment of retaliatory arrests warrants. Now officers are
afforded a full hearing before the circuit court before a
warrant can be issued on an officer for a crime that is alleged
to have been committed while the officer was in the conduct of
his official duties. We also initiated legislation to supplement
officer’s salaries when they are disabled due to injures
occurring while in the performance of their official duties. Now
officers are paid a benefit of 34% of their salary in addition
to the 66% available from Worker’s Compensation to ensure they
receive 100% of their salary for up to one full year while on
disability. This law is now referred to as the Law Enforcement
Officer’s Disability Trust Fund.
During the 2006 Legislative session, we initiated legislation to
exempt certain officer’s personal or private information from
the “Open Records Act.” Such information would include their
private or home phone numbers, residence address, information
relating to their spouse or children, and other similar
information. We initiated the Officer’s Holiday Compensation
Law. This bill was directed at clarifying a state statue
regarding holiday compensation to municipal officers for
holidays which fall on their scheduled day off. Hopefully now,
officers are being compensated like all other municipal
employees for holidays that fall on their scheduled days off. We
will continue to work in our legislature to provide our law
enforcement professionals with the voice they deserve. Please
sign up and utilize our CAPWIZ system. By doing so, you will be
notified by e-mail of pending legislation or other important
events or issues and how you can help.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck our Gulf Coast. The MS PBA
with the help and support of the Southern States PBA and many
others, delivered truckloads of food and essential supplies to
the local law enforcement agencies to be distributed to their
officers. We also distributed monetary donations to individual
officers and their families who had devastating losses and
needed assistance.
We will be updating information regularly, so please check back
often. We encourage you to utilize the feedback form on the site
if you have any questions regarding the PBA or this website.
I urge you as a law enforcement or correctional officer to join
the PBA. By doing so, you will receive the many benefits now
afforded to over 2000 law enforcement and correctional officers
in Mississippi that are PBA members. You will also help continue
the trend of positive changes we are making in our profession.
If you not already a member, please take a moment and fill out
the
online application and join today!
