Five Pike County Sheriff’s Office detention center officers graduated from the Adult Detention Officer Training Course on Sept. 3, 2026, in a program hosted by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
The graduates are Yvonne Baker, Vernon Alexander Cockerham Jr., Julie Elizabeth Etheridge, Dana Ashlyn Jackson and Jessica Nicole Matthews. They were recognized as members of Class 2-2026.
The standardized program required at least 96 academic hours, along with hands-on training in job-related skills. The graduates are now qualified to pursue state certification under Mississippi Minimum Standards.
Sheriff Bryant “Wally” Jones, Chief Deputy Damian Gatlin and Major Jewel Hines recognized the graduates. Jones said the training represented a commitment to excellence, discipline and service, and emphasized the officers’ responsibility for the safety and security of those in their care.
The information was provided by the Pike County Sheriff’s Office Public Relations Department.
Jon Ross Myers founded Mississippi News Group in 2013. Before founding the organization, he worked at The Daily Mississippian, The Marion Salute and The Southern Sentinel. A Mississippi journalist and writer based in Ripley, he received second place in poetry in the 2025 William Faulkner Literary Competition for "The Garden."
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