Highway Patrol helicopter pilots’ visit to MC demonstrates versatility of law enforcement careers

Students gather around a flight crew member for a hands-on lesson with a medical helicopter at Mississippi College.

Students in Mississippi College’s Introduction to Criminal Justice and Intelligence Analysis classes had the opportunity to see the Air Operations Unit of the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol/Department of Public Safety in action and interact with the helicopter pilot and law enforcement officer during a reconnaissance flight simulation on Sept. 17 in Clinton.

The visit from Capt. Harrison Trowbridge and Shane Corley, members of the MHP Helicopter Air Wing, was arranged by Col. Charles Haynes, MC assistant professor of administration of justice. Before joining the MC faculty, Haynes served as the Assistant Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.

Trowbridge and Corley shared insights into the benefits of aviation in the field of law enforcement, answered questions from the class, and gave a tour of the Eurocopter 135 (EC-135), which flies out of Raymond.

“These pilots are also officers – they have the same enforcement powers as any other police officer, deputy or state trooper in the state. They just happen to specialize in aviation,” Haynes said. “This (exhibition) is a perfect example of how intelligence is gathered, and it also highlights career paths beyond the traditional officer route.

“Hosting this event helps Mississippi College stand out from other programs, and it motivates students by showing what’s possible beyond the classroom.”

Haynes said he looks for ways to enrich the classroom by inviting subject-matter experts to interact with students. Earlier this semester, Haynes hosted visits from Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Herzog, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation director and an MC alum; members of the MBI Special Operations Unit, and Derrick Jordan, director of the Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training. They each shared real-world experiences from their segment of the criminal justice field.

MC students like Alden Alfonso, a senior pre-law major from Ocean Springs, relish the opportunity to
speak with active law enforcement professionals.

“Talking with these law enforcement officers and hearing what they do gives me a greater respect for them,” Alfonso said. “This hands-on opportunity will help me apply the knowledge that we’ve gained in
the classroom.”

The MHP helicopter exhibition reinforced Andrew Valentine’s decision to pursue law enforcement as a
career. The sophomore from Birmingham, Alabama, is majoring in homeland security.

“I’m looking to be a cop after college, and I’m looking to join the National Guard as well,” Valentine said. “Talking with these law enforcement professionals and asking them about their experiences is pretty
special.”

Haynes said the MHP aviation unit holds a special place in his heart.

“When it comes to intelligence gathering, when I was on the SWAT team in tactical units, these were the pilots and the professionals that were the eyes in the sky,” he said. “This was an opportunity to show the students that a career in law enforcement is very vast. There are so many different choices outside the gun and the badge or the criminologist.”

“This visit today helps make the textbook come alive for our students.”

Haynes plans to continue engaging his students by scheduling activities that will help tomorrow’s law enforcement professionals.

“It is important for me to show students that this classroom can change the trajectory of their lives,” he said. “We plan to do simulated traffic stops, canine work, and have the Crime Scene Unit from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation recreate mock crime scenes.

“Even if students don't want to go into the uniformed division, these activities can help them envision themselves as attorneys, criminologists, or in some related field. They all can serve the community and play a role in public safety.”