Tommy Simpson is a 27 year veteran of law enforcement, serving his entire career in the State of Georgia. His career includes service with law enforcement agencies at the city, county and state levels. Nearly 18 years of his service was devoted to narcotics enforcement. He became a PBA member in Georgia, prior to the existence of PBA of Georgia, and remained a member throughout his law enforcement career. He is married, has five children, three of which are grown, two are still at home so to speak. His youngest son now attends Mississippi State University and the youngest daughter is a senior at Tupelo High School.

Tommy was born in the State of Florida, completing his high school education there before moving to Georgia in 1969 at the age of 22. He began his law enforcement career with Waycross Police Department and attended South Georgia College.  In 1984, Tommy was first introduced to the concept of PBA, while employed with the Albany/Dougherty Drug Unit in Albany Georgia.  At this time PBA of Georgia was not yet a reality. He helped to organize what later became the Flint River Chapter, being the second PBA chapter formed in the State of Georgia. Tommy was the first president of this chapter and served in that capacity for several years. Upon PBA of Georgia being organized, he served on the board of directors and was also elected to serve on the executive board as Treasurer of the state association.

It was during his tenure as President of the Flint River Chapter that law enforcement officers there for the first time, united themselves in an association and became directly and openly involved in the electoral process of political candidates. Members of the chapter screened candidates running for city office and those selected by the chapter were publicly endorsed by PBA.  Members of the chapter on their own time actively campaigned door to door on behalf of the endorsed candidates, helping to make their campaigns highly successful.

In August of 1991, Tommy left the Albany/Doughty Drug Unit to provide the initial planning, organization and leadership of what was to become the Southwest Georgia Drug Task Force. He commander this multi-county task force until May of 1997, when he made the decision to conclude his law enforcement career and join the staff of Southern States PBA. In June of 1997, he moved to Tupelo, Ms and assumed his new duties as a PBA staff representative.

Having been a law enforcement officer for 27 years, he has a personal appreciation for those in the law enforcement profession and the tremendous need for improvement in their benefits and work environment.  During his tenure with PBA Tommy has served as a Staff Representative, Executive Director of PBA of Mississippi and now as Director of Organizational Services for the Western region of Southern States PBA, which includes Alabama, Mississippi, Western Tennessee, Arkansas and Louisiana.  

Since PBA of Mississippi began a legislative lobbying effort in 2002, Tommy has also been the registered lobbyist for the association.  Since the 2002 legislative session, he has led a lobbying campaign which has succeeded in the initiation and passage of legislative bills which directly benefit law enforcement officers and their families.  These successes include legislation that has doubled the in line of duty death benefits for Mississippi officers two different times and created a means of funding these benefits without legislative appropriation of new funds. Other legislation passed has created the mandate for a probable cause hearing before a circuit court judge prior to the issuance of a criminal arrest warrant against an officer for any violation alleged to have occurred while in the performance of duty. Yet another legislative bill initiated and passed during the 2005 session created the Law Enforcement Officer Disability Trust Fund which provides disability benefits in addition to Workers Compensation to officers disabled, even temporarily due to injuries incurred in line of duty.

Tommy has long demonstrated a sincere compassion for those serving in the law enforcement profession and a strong passion for improving their benefits, work environment and rights. He welcomes the interest and involvement of any members seeking to aide in this endeavor. Tommy can be reached through the Mississippi Division office at 601-899-9322 or by voice mail at 1-800-233-3506 ext 747

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