Oxford Police add dispatcher and officer to strengthen public safety

Oxford Police Department added Rebecca Rusinovich as a dispatcher and Gordon Wilkerson as an officer, a staffing move that directly affects how quickly calls are answered, how smoothly officers are routed and how consistently Oxford can keep service running across every hour of the day.

The additions matter because the department says its communications unit is “a huge part” of its operation. In a city that expects police coverage for neighborhoods, the Square, campus traffic and late-night calls, each dispatcher helps absorb the constant flow of calls for service and keeps officers moving to the right place without delay. Each new officer also adds another uniform to patrol assignments, reducing pressure on a department that already works around the clock.

Oxford Police Department says it has 91 sworn officers and more than 114 total staff. That size shows a department built for continuous coverage, but it also shows how much work must be divided among dispatch, patrol, supervision and support roles to meet demand in Oxford, Mississippi, where the city and university keep public-safety needs high throughout the day and night.

Chief Jeff McCutchen oversees the department, which says its mission is “To serve with wisdom and compassion and to create a safe and connected community.” The city also says the department is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of Oxford residents and visitors, language that underscores how hiring decisions inside the department affect more than internal staffing charts. They shape whether the department can keep pace when calls stack up, when traffic spikes around campus and downtown, and when a dispatcher must coordinate multiple units at once.

For residents who need police assistance, the city lists the Oxford Police Department’s main contact number as 662-232-2400. In practical terms, the addition of Rusinovich and Wilkerson gives the department more capacity to answer that call, more flexibility to staff shifts and more backup for a public-safety system that has to perform without interruption.