Mississippi DPS to open law enforcement applications soon for recruits

Mississippi’s push to recruit new law-enforcement cadets carries local weight in Lafayette County because every new trooper, investigator or support officer affects how much ground state agencies can cover across North Mississippi. For residents in Oxford and the rest of the county, the opening of Mississippi Department of Public Safety applications is more than a personnel notice. It is part of the staffing pipeline that helps determine patrol presence, investigative support and how quickly help can reach a crash, a traffic stop or a public-safety emergency.

MDPS says Cadet Class #70 is scheduled to begin in February 2026, will run for 18 weeks and will train at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers’ Training Academy. The class includes opportunities in the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Capitol Police, Mississippi Office of Homeland Security, Commercial Transportation Enforcement Division and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. The application deadline for that class is August 29.

The department says it has more than 1,000 sworn and non-sworn employees statewide, and it points to a long state law-enforcement history. The Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol has operated since 1938, and the training academy is described as the largest law-enforcement training facility in Mississippi. MDPS says most department jobs are recruited through the Mississippi State Personnel Board, while hiring questions are routed through the Office of Human Resources. For trooper school, applicants must be at least 21, a U.S. citizen, a Mississippi resident, of good moral character and hold a high school diploma or GED.

That training path matters in Lafayette County because local agencies depend on state-level recruits and training standards to keep the system functioning. The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department is based at 711 Jackson Ave. East in Oxford, and the Oxford Police Department says it has 91 sworn officers and more than 114 total staff. MDPS also says basic and advanced classes are offered to state, county and municipal agencies, and the Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training sets minimum standards for employment, training, certification and professional conduct for Mississippi law-enforcement officers.

For people considering a career change, recent graduates and veterans alike, the opening gives a direct path into a job tied to public safety and community impact. In a county where local and state agencies often work side by side, the next round of recruits could help shape response times, coverage and the strength of the public-safety network that residents rely on every day.