Editor’s note: This is part one of candidate coverage for constable post two. The four Democratic candidates will be featured on May 31.

There are seven candidates running for the office of Post 2 constable. The three Republican candidates are Kirby Ebbers, Troy Floyd and Alica Gill Warren.

Constables in Lincoln County are independent law enforcement officers who serve processes (such as subpoenas, summons and evictions) for the Lincoln County Justice Courts (and chancery or circuit courts when needed) and are charged with keeping and preserving the peace within the county. Constables also serve as bailiffs in justice court.

Kirby Ebbers worked as a deputy with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department for eight years and has been working as a lieutenant in the Brookhaven Fire Department for the past 10 years.

Ebbers said his law enforcement experience has equipped him for the position of constable, who also advises justice court judges or other officers of unlawful assemblies and violations of penal law. Ebbers said with his passion to serve others along with this law enforcement experience, he believes he could make a positive impact in the community.

“I love the job because you get the chance to help all kinds of people, [such as] family and children who are neglected,” Ebbers said. “And also working alongside law enforcement.”

Ebbers said if he is elected he will fulfill all his duties with a professional attitude and integrity.

“My primary goals would be to have all court papers processed on time, advise the courts of problem areas in our county and to be at the hands of the community at all times,” he said. “I will execute these duties with pride, using my experience as a deputy. I will be one extra law enforcement body in our county helping to make it a safer place for our families.”

Ebbers and his wife Katrina are active members of Faith Presbyterian Church.

Troy Floyd is a lifelong resident of Lincoln County with almost 20 years of experience in multiple aspects of law enforcement. He served as a deputy sheriff for 10 years and then joined the Mississippi Department of Corrections as a probation officer where he focused primarily on narcotics. Floyd has served as a jailor and has received extensive law enforcement training including being trained by the DEA. He currently serves as a deputy sheriff and is captain over patrol at Wesson Police Department.

Floyd said the job of constable means so much more to him than just serving court papers and patrolling.

Floyd said in his years in law enforcement he has noticed some criminal patterns that, if paid attention to, could be used in a preventative manner against the criminal activity that so often tears families apart and ruins lives.

“What I’ve noticed in almost 10 years with the DOC is that most of the people that I’ve supervised, literally thousands of people, there were some common denominators that started to dial in,” Floyd said. “Most of our people had a misdemeanor crime before they had a felony.

“What would happen if you had a constable that took the job beyond just serving papers and just patrolling and got with his justice court judge and his community leaders? To say ‘Hey look, we need to come up with some programs right now to where we can curb the flow to a felony.'”

Floyd said that since justice court is a misdemeanor court, there is a possibility to put a program in place for offenders. He suggests a faith-based alcohol and drug program for those convicted of substance-related crimes that would possibly reduce fines or allow for non-adjudication.

“It takes God, you can’t leave him out of it,” Floyd said. “What if we actually [established that program], and that guy who is now on felony probation for DUI third never makes it two more DUIs?”

Floyd said he believes God has led him down the path of working to fight against drugs and enforce the law but also to do so with compassion that could possibly help prevent the more terrible situations that can develop.

“I don’t have the ability to save the world but what my job is is to be ready,” Floyd said, “to be on board when you do decide to do right and to be able to facilitate that. That’s my drive, that’s what I believe. God does not need me for this, but I hope he uses me because he did give me [this talent for law enforcement and fighting the war on drugs.]

“You may actually save somebody from going to prison for a felony,” Floyd said. “Prevention. And I believe in that. Do I believe in locking people up who break the law? Yes. But I believe there are ways to fight smarter fights.”

Floyd and his wife, Sage, are active members of Bethel Temple Pentecostal Church and have two children.

Alica Warren has served as a paramedic at Kings Daughter’s Medical Center for 22 years. Warren said she had always had an interest in law enforcement, so when the opportunity to go through a law enforcement training academy that would allow her to do both, she jumped on the chance. Since 2011, she has worked part-time with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department as a deputy. Warren said her combination of experience makes her uniquely qualified for the position of constable.

“I really enjoy it. I like getting out and helping everywhere I can,” Warren said. “It’s really neat. Sometimes we’ll get a call, like a wreck call or something and someone is hurt everybody will look at me like ‘Can you do something?’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, and I will. Of course I will.’ I carry a medi bag with me and do what I can till an ambulance gets there.”

Warren said over the years she has also gained experience as bailiff, which is part of the constable position. She said she has filled in for people and has worked as a bailiff in justice, chancery and circuit courts and works in youth court every week.

Warren said in addition to the duties of the constable position serving papers and serving as a bailiff, she would be available to serve the sheriff’s department and police department whenever they might need assistance or backup.

“I just enjoy serving the community and want to make myself available to people,” Warren said. “People who feel like they need advice or are having problems and aren’t sure if they need to call the sheriff’s department or talk to somebody else first – I would welcome that. Call me. I would put my phone number out there to be available.

Warren said if elected as constable she would try to emphasize neighborhood watch programs and would like to possibly start a Facebook page where people could post alerts. Concerns about suspicious vehicles or break-ins could be listed to help deter criminal activity.

“If we can get descriptions of vehicles and things like that out more often to the public, sometimes we can stop or catch some of the people that are doing some of our burglaries,” Warren said. “Which seems to be a big thing city- and county-wide. Criminals are out for the easy score; ‘Ride by the house, no one’s home, let me see what I can steal real quick.'”

Warren said there are grants for just about anything, so if there was a program that could benefit the community that there is not money for, she would seek grants to get them started.

Warren is married with three children, and they are active members of Easthaven Baptist Church.