Mississippi Department of Transportation

Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT)
Agency overview
Jurisdiction	Mississippi
Headquarters	401 N. West Street, Jackson, Mississippi
Agency executives	Larry L. "Butch" Brown [1], Executive Director Melinda McGrath, Deputy Executive Director/Chief Engineer Willie Huff, Director Office of Law Enforcement
Parent agency	Mississippi Transportation Commission
Website
http://www.gomdot.com/

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is the operational agency of the Mississippi Transportation Commission tasked to maintain and improve the highway, rail, maritime, public transportation, and aviation infrastructure in the state. ^[2]

MDOT Divisions

• Office of Administrative Services
• Office of Highways
• Office of Law Enforcement
• Office of Intermodal Planning

Office of Law Enforcement

The Office of Law Enforcement is made up of over 200 sworn state law enforcement officers. Officers man 32 fixed stationary scales throughout the state and also portable units that patrol the states highways and federal interstate system. Officers must complete a 13 week Field Training Program administered by the departments Field Training Officers. The field training program focuses on the newly hired officers ability to learn and retain knowledge on the departments standard operating procedures, personal appearance, state laws, federal laws, and pre-academy fitness requirements. If the Officers meet a satisfactory score in this program, then they must attend a 10 week basic law enforcement officers training academy to receive P.O.S.T. certification in the State of Mississippi. Officers who have prior certification will still have to complete the field training program but will not have to attend the academy, they are assigned a permanent weigh facility where they will generally work for 3 years until able to apply for a portable unit. All officers who are not certified must report the academy on the next available date which is held at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Training Academy (M.L.E.O.T.A.) in Pearl, MS. M.L.E.O.T.A. is para military style academy where officers must stay on campus during the duration of the 10 week academy only being allowed leave time for Friday and Saturday to handle personal issues before reporting back on Sunday. M.L.E.O.T.A. is regarded as being one of the top rated and toughest police academy's in the nation with a strong emphasis in officer discipline, academics, and physical fitness. The academy averages a 25% drop out rate, this number can vary drastically and is by no means the standard. Officers who do not complete the academy due to academic or physical failure or self dismissal, are generally relieved from duty and employment is terminated with the department. MDOT officers are responsible for the compliance and enforcement of the state's size and weight laws, fuel tax compliance, federal motor carrier safety administration laws, state safety equipment and traffic law as they pertain to commercial motor vehicles, and the apprehension and arrest of companies and people transporting illegal currency and narcotics in and through the State of Mississippi.

http://gomdot.com/Divisions/Enforcement/Law/Home.aspx

Office of Law Enforcement's Chain of Command

• Chief (Director of Enforcement)
• Major (Assistant Director of Enforcement)
• Captain
• Lieutenant
• Master Sergeant
• Sergeant
• Officer II
• Officer I
• Probationary Officer

Mission statement

The Mississippi Department of Transportation is responsible for providing a safe intermodal transportation network that is planned, designed, constructed and maintained in an effective, cost efficient, and environmentally sensitive manner.^[3]

References

1. ^ http://www.gomdot.com/Divisions/Director/Home.aspx Executive Director accessed 4 April 2009
2. ^ http://www.gomdot.com/Home/AboutMDOT/Divisions.aspx Divisions accessed 4 March 2009
3. ^ http://www.gomdot.com/Home/AboutMDOT/Mission.aspx Mission Statement accessed 4 April 2009

External links

• Official website