Billy is an alumnus of the Columbia Law Enforcement Training Academy, graduating from class 2017-01. In addition to being voted the permanent class leader, he also received awards for firearms, physical fitness, academic average, and top cop.
After certification, he continued his career at Forrest County Sheriff’s Office as a reserve deputy in the patrol division. During this time, he sought out more knowledge, education, and training. Upon becoming certified in standardized field sobriety testing, Billy realized that this was his niche. He then attended Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement. After these certifications, Billy focused his efforts on DUI enforcement. In December 2017, Billy participated in the law enforcement driving instructor’s course and became an adjunct instructor for CLETA as a driving instructor. In addition to this, he was able to receive his state instructor certification for law enforcement. This would begin his journey into teaching law enforcement and further his passion for educating. In May 2018, he was hired by Columbia Police Department as a part-time patrolman. He remained in this position until January 2019. In March 2019 took a part-time deputy position with Perry County Sheriff’s Office, where he remains to this day. Also, in 2019 Billy graciously accepted the position of deputy director at CLETA. Billy is a Master Instructor in Law Enforcement handgun, shotgun, patrol rifle, driving, and instructor development.
Billy has also found a love for the crisis intervention program. He became CIT certified in January 2018. Not stopping there, Billy decided to assist even further and became a CIT instructor in March 2019. He teaches de-escalation steps one and two and is now also teaching stress management.
Billy also served for over 23 years as an active guard Soldier in the Mississippi Army National Guard, retiring at the rank of Master Sergeant. He entered service on 23 December 1996 in D Co 1-15 5 Infantry in Ocean Springs, MS. He retired in 2020 from the 154th Regional Training Institute at Camp Shelby, MS.
Billy was assigned to D Company, 1-155 IN, Ocean Springs, MS, where his primary MOS was 91B, medic. He was promoted to SGT in April of 2001 after graduating from the 3rd Noncommissioned Officers Academy Primary Leadership Development Course. He was deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina later that year. After his re-deployment in 2002, he applied for numerous Active Guard Reserve positions and was hired in 2003. In 2004, he attended the 1 lBl0 course at Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas. He was promoted to SSG in April 2004. He was mobilized in August 2004 for a deployment to Iraq. He served as a section leader and platoon sergeant during OIF III. After returning from a deployment, Billy attended the Basic Noncommissioned Officers Course (BNCOC) phase 1. He attended Infantryman BNCOC 10 days later. He was promoted to SSG again in June 2007. In 2007, he participated in the Bradley Crew Evaluator’s Course and Pre-Master Gunner course. In 2008, Billy attended the Bradley Fighting Vehicle Systems Master Gunner Course. Upon graduating in 2008, he received a training date for Infantryman Advanced Noncommissioned Officers Course in June 2008. After graduating from ANCOC, he received notification for an upcoming deployment to Iraq for OIF 9.2. In 2009 he attended the Tactical Electronic Warfare Operator’s course. He was assigned not only as a Platoon Sergeant but the company electronic warfare officer. He also participated at the counter IED train the trainer course to be the subject matter expert on enemy IED detection. After this deployment, Billy had 13 years of service with the 1-155 IN. He was reassigned to 155 ABCT headquarters in Tupelo, MS, as operations NCO upon returning from Iraq. He was responsible for multi-million dollar accounts that funded all activities within the BDE. He was moved from an operations NCO to an assistant operations NCO and performed as the BDE Master Gunner for the BFV’s. After over four years at the BDE operations level, he was reassigned to the 2nd Infantry Training
Certifications
- NRA Range Safety Officer
- Taser instructor
- Sabre Red instructor
- Driving Instructor
- American Sports, and Fitness Association (AFSA) instructor
- Standardized field sobriety test instructor
Experience
- NRA handgun, shotgun, and patrol rifle instructor course
- Modern Samurai Project red dot instructor course
- National Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors Association red dot instructor course
- Tom Long’s combat handgun and combat shotgun instructor course
- CIT train the trainer