After wearing the blue uniform of the Charleston Police Department for more than 33 years — including nearly 15 years as chief — John Page is at peace with his decision to walk away on Dec. 31.
“I’m 62 years old now. My wife Rosie has gotten sick and I have to take her back and forth to dialysis three times a week. It’s just time,” he said.
His three-plus decades of service to the city will be celebrated during a reception this Thursday, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., in the Charleston City Hall courtroom. The public is invited to attend.
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Page, a native of Laurel who has lived in Tallahatchie County since he was 6 years old, joined the Charleston Police Department on Nov. 2, 1983. He was 29 at the time.
Aside from the opportunity to make a little extra money — Page already held one job, as a die setter in the tool and die department at Rockwell, now Grenada Stamping, in Grenada — he was drawn to the police officer’s uniform.
“Ever since I was a little fellow, I always liked blue,” said Page. “I always wanted a blue suit, but we couldn’t afford one. I had seen policemen in blue and said I wanted to try that. Sure enough, here I am.”
Page discovered that he liked law enforcement, but he continued to work at both his day job, the factory, and on the midnight shift at the police department until early 1992.
In February 1992, under then chief Jerry Williams, Page was promoted from patrolman to captain.
In September 1992, he became a fully certified officer after graduating from the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officer’s Training Academy in Pearl.
In May 1996, Page began working part-time for the Tallahatchie County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy sheriff — a more than 20-year relationship that he hopes to continue after he leaves the city.
Over the years, he has served several stints as acting police chief — first, from September 1999 until July 2002, when Williams took an extended leave of absence due to sickness and, later, after former chief John Deal resigned. Page did not seek the chief’s position — he actually resisted it — but in February 2006 he agreed to accept the top cop assignment on a full-time basis.
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Page has seen many changes in the local police force.
“I was one of six full-time officers when I first started,” he noted. Now, he’s one of 10.
The department is much better supplied now, too.
“Back then, we didn’t have any bulletproof vests, and our weapons were some old .38 revolvers,” Page said. “Now, everybody has gone to semis and all of our officers are equipped with them. Everybody has a department-issue Glock .40. They also have body vests. We’ve got mounted video cameras in each car, but we’re working on trying to get some body cameras.”
The police department’s fleet of automobiles has grown from two patrol cars to six cars and one truck.
The added manpower and other enhancements are needed, Page said, to combat growing crime.
“With the onslaught of drugs, and young kids roaming the streets with more guns, the crime rate has really gone up,” the chief noted.
Still, he said he has never had to discharge his firearm in the line of duty. “I thank God for that,” he added.
“I’ve been blessed,” Page said. “I’m glad to have been a part of the city of Charleston for this many years. I hope somewhere down the line, I have done something to help somebody.”
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Page has nothing but praise for Luther Folson, the 46-year-old Water Valley resident who since November has served as “police chief in training,” according to Page.
Folson, who has been a Charleston police officer since October 2015, was the successful one of three city officers considered by the city board for promotion to chief.
“I think he will be a guy who’s capable of doing the job and will put forth 110 percent to keep things going,” Page said of Folson. “I feel like the city will be in good hands.”
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As for himself, Page foresees a future of more fishing and spending time with his 18 grandchildren.
IN THE PHOTO: Charleston Police Chief John Page stands outside the door of his office at Charleston City Hall. (Photo by Clay McFerrin)
