[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 26, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E783-E784]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               COMMENDING CLAY JONES UPON HIS RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. STEVEN M. PALAZZO

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 26, 2022

  Mr. PALAZZO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished 
service of Clay Jones who will retire this year after over 29 years as 
a first responder and public servant in South Mississippi.
  Jones hails from D'Iberville, MS, where he lives with his wife, the 
former Tonia Bryant of Biloxi, and their children, Clayton II, and 
Connor. Jones received his Bachelor's Degree in

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Administration of Justice from the University of Southern Mississippi 
and graduated from the University of Louisville's Southern Police 
Institute 129th Administrative Officers Course, the Law Enforcement 
Command College at the University of Mississippi, Leadership Gulf 
Coast, and Gulf Coast Business Council-Masters Leadership Class.
  Jones began his public service career in 1993 with the Biloxi Police 
Department as a reserve police officer and progressed to a full-time 
officer in 1995. During his tenure at Biloxi Police Department, Jones 
worked as a part-time instructor at the Harrison County Law Enforcement 
Training Academy. In June 2000, Jones left the Biloxi Police Department 
to become a full-time instructor for the Harrison County Sheriffs 
Department's Law Enforcement Training Academy where he was promoted to 
the Director of the Southern Regional Public Safety Institute and 
secured $1 million federally earmarked for the Mississippi Rural Law 
Enforcement Mobile Training Program. In the latter part of his career, 
Jones joined the D'Iberville Police Department and served as a 
narcotics investigator, promoted to the rank of Captain, Operations 
Commander, Deputy Chief of Police, and City Manager.
  For his service, Jones has been awarded numerous prestigious awards 
including a two-time recipient of the Medal of Valor, the City of 
Biloxi Mayor's Commendation, Deputy of the Year, Officer of the Year, a 
two-time recipient of the Southern Regional Public Safety Institute's 
Outstanding Instructor Award, and a two-time recipient of the Police 
Star Award.
  Jones has continuously gone above and beyond to answer the call of 
public service. I am grateful for his service and dedication to South 
Mississippi. Most importantly, he embodies the virtues of integrity, 
hard work, and selflessness that South Mississippians expect from their 
government officials. Clay leaves the City of D'Iberville better than 
he found it. On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of 
Mississippi, I congratulate Clay Jones on his retirement.