TUPELO — An Alcorn County investigator’s dedication to the war on

drugs earned him recognition Tuesday as Crimestoppers of Northeast

Mississippi’s Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.

Narcotics Investigator Darrell Hopkins with the Alcorn County

Sheriff’s Department was honored with the award from the crime

fighting organization during their annual law enforcement & media

partner appreciation event on Tuesday.

Hopkins, an 18-year law enforcement veteran, was nominated for the

award by his peers. He was lauded for a record that includes more than

130 felony drug arrests made in 2009 alone and for his commitment to

tracking down tips from the community and using the Crimestoppers

model of partnership between law enforcement, media and community to

make a real impact on drug crime in the county.

The investigator said he had no idea he was going to receive the award

when he came to the luncheon and was taken aback by the honor.

“It’s very humbling,” he said.

Hopkins was also very quick to turn the praise toward his fellow

officers and the prosecutors, judges and citizens involved in helping

fight drugs.

“It’s truly a group effort,” said Hopkins.

The luncheon included remarks from Trish Harbour, executive director

of Crimestoppers programs for the Mississippi Department of Public

Safety. Harbour was standing in for her boss, DPS Commissioner Stephen

B. Simpson, who had been scheduled to speak but was detained in

Jackson working on legislation seeking to make pseudoephedrine a

prescription drug in the state.

Harbour described the Northeast Mississippi Crimestoppers program as a

model for the state. She said with tough economic times causing

reduced budgets for law enforcement agencies, Crimestoppers programs

can be an excellent, cost-effective way to help combat crime by

reaching out to the community for help.