In recognition of National Police Week, the Item acknowledges Officer Chris McGinnis of the Poplarville Police Department.

McGinnis grew up in Lumberton, just down the road from Poplarville. As a kid, he stayed out of trouble, but that does not mean he didn’t have a good time.

“I was a pretty good kid growing up. My days were all spent outdoors, whether it was hanging out with the family, fishing or just running around like any other kid,” said McGinnis.

McGinnis comes from a hard-working family. His father, George, worked as a self-employed appliance maintenance technician and his mother, Marlo, has worked for the Poplarville High School cafeteria for 40 years but has no plans of retiring anytime soon, said McGinnis.

McGinnis went to Poplarville High School for a short amount of time, later transferring to Bass Memorial Academy, a Christian private school, where he graduated.

McGinnis started out working as a jailer for the Poplarville Sheriff’s Department back in 2000.

“A bunch of people that were already officers told me that starting out as a jailer is the best way to go when joining law enforcement,” said McGinnis.

After four years of working in the jail, McGinnis decided to pursue his life-long dream of becoming a police officer and is now working as an officer of the Poplarville Police Department.

“Ever since I was a kid, I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and that was to become a police officer. Now I know a lot of kids dreamed to either be an officer or a firefighter, but I was different. My passion never left as I grew up and the fact that I’m doing what I have always wanted to do really keeps me going,” said McGinnis.

McGinnis has been family-oriented from the time when he was a kid playing outside with his sister, Tammy Do Nascimento.

Now he has two kids of his own, Tyler, 9, and Tristen, 6, with his wife to whom he has been married for about 16 years.

McGinnis’ goal is to continue to keep his community safe so he can raise his family without worry.

“We police are all people, just like everyone else. The bad reputation we get should not be what it is. You can’t let one spoiled apple ruin the whole bunch. We just want to do our job and go home to our families every night,” said McGinnis.

During his free time, when he isn’t spending quality time with his family, McGinnis enjoys taking his Suzuki Boulevard motorcycle out on the streets and enjoying the simplicities of life.