New Sheriff’s Substation in Harmontown a Step Closer to a Reality

Plans for a new Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department substation in Harmontown are in motion.

On Sept. 6, the Lafayette County Supervisor and Board President Mike Roberts, and Supervisor and Vice President Chad McLarty, presented a check to Tina Downing to purchase 1.3 acres of property in the Harmontown community for the new sheriff’s department substation.

Located less than 600 feet south of the center of the Harmontown community on Lafayette County Road 517, the substation will be centrally located for quick access to all areas of Lafayette County north of Sardis Lake.

Harmontown is located in the northwest corner of Lafayette County which is separated from the rest of the county by Sardis Lake.

The distance and disconnection from the rest of Oxford and Lafayette County has caused many Harmontown residents to feel isolated and forgotten, especially when it comes to emergency services.

Sheriff Joey East and the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors have been working to reduce the feeling of isolation and decrease emergency response times in Harmontown.

Deputies, who are required to spend a shift in Harmontown, often feel the same isolation as the residents because they do not have the luxury of stopping by the sheriff’s office to use the restroom, eat lunch, work on reports, or simply take a break, said East.

“This will give us a base and give the deputies a place to go to eat or use the restroom,” East said. “We’ll have a desk with internet, so they can work there instead of having to drive back to Oxford to do paperwork. We can store equipment there as well.”

The building, which has yet to be designed, will likely provide meeting space for the sheriffs and the community, East said.

State Senator Nicole Boyd and State Representatives Trey Lamar and Clay Deweese were instrumental in securing the funding to build the substation earlier this year.

Staff report