The Gulfport Police Department said it celebrated the retirements of five longtime officers last week, totaling more than 100 years of combined service to the community, in a post on its Facebook page.
The department identified the retirees as Sergeant William “Jimbo” Riddle; Sergeant William “Josh” McConnell; Sergeant James “Jimmy” Nix; Lieutenant Samual “Sammy” Jewel; and Lieutenant John “JD” Barnes.
In the Facebook post, the department said the men “didn’t just wear a badge” but stood beside victims, guided younger officers and worked behind the scenes to keep the community safe. It said their service helped shape the department and strengthened trust between law enforcement and residents.
Police retirements remove experienced personnel from day-to-day operations and often lead departments to recruit and train new officers to fill vacancies. The Gulfport Police Department said the retirees’ legacy of service and commitment will remain part of the department. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
