Lafayette County honors retiring sheriff's leaders after decades of service

The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors used Monday’s meeting to send two longtime sheriff’s office leaders into retirement with resolutions that went beyond a routine salute. Capt. Jarrett Bundren ended a 30-year run and Maj. Alan Wilburn closed a 28-year career, leaving the county to replace decades of command experience in an agency that handles both law enforcement and the jail.

The board adopted resolutions commending Bundren and Wilburn for their dedication, leadership and contributions to law enforcement in Lafayette County. That mattered because the Board of Supervisors is the county’s governing body, with five elected members serving four-year terms and authority to adopt resolutions while steering the county’s growth and development.

The sheriff’s department sits at the center of that local public-safety network. It is responsible for law enforcement across Lafayette County and for administration of the Lafayette County Jail, with Sheriff Joey East, Chief Deputy Scott Mills and Jail Administrator Johnny McDonald listed on the office’s contact information. A Lafayette County government page also identifies Scott Mills as chief deputy, underscoring the command structure now carrying the department forward.

Bundren’s retirement carries particular weight because his work reached deep into the county’s most serious cases. A 2024 profile described him as head of investigations for the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office, where he dealt with murder, abuse, assault, robbery and other major investigations. His departure removes a veteran investigator who had spent years handling the cases that often shape how residents measure both safety and trust.

Wilburn’s 28-year career adds another layer to the transition, especially because the board recognized both men together during a retirement ceremony. In a department that serves the roads, neighborhoods, rural areas and Oxford-adjacent parts of the county, long-tenured leaders often carry knowledge that cannot be quickly replaced by a title change alone.

For Lafayette County, the resolution was not only a thank-you to two men who spent most of their working lives inside the sheriff’s department. It also marked a practical handoff, as the county’s public-safety system adjusts to the loss of two familiar leaders whose experience had been woven into daily operations for years.