JACKSON, Miss.–The man who fights Mississippi’s pill pushers, coke dealers, crack dealers, meth makers and even store owners who sell illegal bath salts and Spice every day, is leaving his state job as head of the Miss. Bureau of Narcotics. Marshall Fisher said Wednesday he will step down to take a new federal job.
Fisher will still be fighting drugs in Mississippi. A news release said his new post will be director of the Mississippi High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force. The HIDTA program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States.
Fisher has been head of the MBN for nearly eight years, replacing Frank Melton in June 2005. He came from the DEA, where he was head of Mississippi operations.
“My tenure at MBN has been the most rewarding of my 37 year law enforcement career. It has truly been an honor and a privilege to serve the state of Mississippi and our fine citizens for the last 8½ years,” he said.
Gov. Phil Bryant said Fisher’s efforts in curbing Mississippi’s drug problem have been relentless. Here is his statement:
Marshall Fisher is a dedicated, career law enforcement officer who has served Mississippi very well. His relentless pursuit of drug crimes has made Mississippi a safer place, and I know his valuable experience will continue to benefit our state and region. I thank him for his service and wish him great success in his new position.
Bryant, who has said public safety will be key in the current legislative session, talked earlier about a similar force to the one Fisher will become head of, this one run by the state.
“Strike forces” of law officers on all levels would target areas with high intensity drug or crime problems and make arrests.
