Supervisors Back Sheriff Radar Push
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Sheriff Jerimaine Gooch
COFFEEVILLE — The Yalobusha County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Monday morning to adopt a resolution supporting an effort by the Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association to lobby state lawmakers for a change in state law that would allow county sheriff’s departments to use radar for speed enforcement.
Sheriff Jerimaine Gooch requested the resolution during the first Board of Supervisor meeting in 2026, held at the Coffeeville Courthouse. Gooch told supervisors that the resolution is part of a coordinated, statewide push ahead of the 2026 legislative session.
“We are trying to get all of the boards of supervisors across the state onboard with us,” Gooch told supervisors.
Gooch said the resolution will be presented to lawmakers at the Capitol on January 22.
“It is a resolution saying y’all are on board for our county to use radar to help with speed control,” the sheriff explained.
Under current Mississippi law, sheriff’s departments are prohibited from using radar speed-detection equipment, a restriction that has been in place for decades.
Mississippi is one of only two states — the other being Pennsylvania — that does not allow county sheriffs to use radar.
Gooch said efforts to change the law have been ongoing for years.
“Efforts to allow sheriff’s departments to use radar have been going on for decades, but they’ve never been successful,” Gooch said.
During the discussion, District Five Supervisor Gaylon Gray raised questions about how a law change might affect county roads, particularly when it comes to posted speed limits.
“I know that it is in the (board) minutes what the speed limits are on each county road,” Gray said. “But there are not many speed limit signs. Would we have to put them up?”
“I think most of them are 40 mph roads,” Gray added.
Gooch explained that deputies are currently allowed to write speeding tickets but must rely on pacing rather than radar.
“You still can write a speeding ticket, you just have to pace them,” Gooch said.
Gray pointed out the limitations of that method on narrow, winding roads.
“But if you meet somebody on one of those curvy roads and they are running 60, they are going to be slowed down by the time you catch back up with them,” Gray said.
Board President Cayce Washington said a change in the law could also come with added costs.
“If it passes we may have to post some speed limit signs and buy some radar equipment,” Washington said. “Hopefully there will be some money for it.”
Gray said speeding on county roads is a problem in the county.
“Folks are driving some of the little county roads going 70 mph. It’s crazy,” Gray said.
“We can start off on County Road 211,” District Four Supervisor Eddie Harris noted about increased enforcement.
“They run 80 on that one,” Gray agreed.
The 2026 session of the Mississippi Legislature officially started Tuesday, Jan. 6, at noon. According to the Legislature’s calendar, the session is scheduled to last 90 days and conclude on Sunday, April 5.
