After Tuesday’s executive session, the Poplarville Board of Aldermen approved the appointment of Don T. “Butch” Raby Jr. as chief of Poplarville’s Police Department.
Raby is a captain and chief of security at the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department.
The current chief, Charlie Fazende, is set to retire Dec. 31 and Raby will assume his new duties Jan. 1.
Raby was born and raised in Picayune and has resided in Poplarville with his wife, Gay, and their two daughters since 2002.
In 1989, he began his law enforcement career as a patrol deputy for the sheriff’s department.
“I love helping people and talking to them,” Raby said. “I wanted to make a difference by helping and doing what I can in the community. Law enforcement has been a great career for me.”
In the early 1990s, he served as a jail administrator for two years. From 1997 to 1998 he worked full-time for the Poplarville Police Department. He then went back to the sheriff’s department in the late 1990s and worked as an investigator and patrol commander.
From 2006 to 2009, Raby worked as a conductor for the railroad.
After he was laid off, he returned to the sheriff’s department and was soon promoted to captain and chief of security.
“I maintain the facility and our inmate state program,” Raby said. “I also maintain the employees, inmates and am responsible for courts, transport and administrative duties.”
For Raby, becoming chief was a longtime goal, he said. It will be an honor to serve in that capacity.
A couple of his goals as chief include acquiring new equipment and working on getting dispatch back.
“It’s very important safety-wise for our officers,” he said. “You have got to have communications.”
Upon assuming his role as chief, Raby said he plans to maintain a good working relationship with the Board of Aldermen and mayor and strive to make the police department the best it can be.
“The city has some great guys working here,” he said. “I want to strive to be the best department, enforce the law and make things safe for the community. I’m looking forward to it.”