On June 3, 1954, one hundred and twenty-five law enforcement officers held a meeting at the Municipal Court Building in Jackson, Mississippi with the goal of improving law enforcement throughout the state.  At the time, officers were able to join the ranks with little or no training, and in many cases, officers were ill-equipped and poorly prepared to cope with the demands of the job.  Thus, those one hundred and twenty-five law enforcement officers came together to found the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers’ Association to ensure that officers received the training and preparation they needed to serve and protect the public.

In keeping with these goals, the association was instrumental in the creation of the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers’ Training Academy in Pearl, Mississippi, which continues to operate today under the direction of the Department of Public Safety. Today, with almost 1,500 members from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the MLEOA is one of the largest law enforcement organizations in Mississippi.