Staff
Captain Rodney Hale
Captain Rodney Hale currently serves as the statewide liaison for Community Hospitals and Clinics With over two decades of law enforcement experience, Captain Hale has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility, including Watch Commander, Shift Supervisor, Criminal Investigations Division Detective and Supervisor, Evidence and Property Manager, Drone Pilot, Rescue/Recovery Dive Team Member, DUI Enforcement Officer, and Field Training Officer. He spent the majority of his career with the Flowood and Ridgeland Police Departments, where he developed a reputation for professionalism, leadership, and tactical expertise.
Captain Hale began his law enforcement career at UMMC in 1994, graduating from the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Training Academy. After a brief departure in 1995, he returned to the UMMC Police Department in April 2020. Prior to his promotion to Captain, he served in multiple leadership roles within the department, including Detective, Sergeant of the Criminal Investigations Division, and Sergeant of the Internal Affairs Division.
In addition to his distinguished law enforcement career, Captain Hale has a substantial military background. He began his service in January 1990 with the United States Navy as an Aviation Electrician. In 1994, he transitioned to the Mississippi Army National Guard, serving for 12 years with the 114th Military Police Company. During his final deployment to Mosul, Iraq, Captain Hale led nearly 150 combat missions as a team and squad leader. His responsibilities included establishing police primacy and training Iraqi police forces in support of stabilization efforts. For his meritorious service during Operation Iraqi Freedom, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.
Captain Hale also responded to numerous state emergencies and served as a liaison officer coordinating military, law enforcement, and local emergency management operations. Additionally, he served in the United States Coast Guard as an aircrewman aboard C-130 Hercules aircraft, conducting search and rescue as well as maritime law enforcement missions out of Kodiak, Alaska. He accumulated nearly 1,000 flight hours during his time with the Coast Guard.
Captain Hale is committed to professional development and has completed several leadership programs through the FBI, including Supervisor and Command Leadership training under the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (FBI-LEEDA). He is also a graduate of the Mississippi Law Enforcement Command College. Captain Hale was awarded “Top Cop” in 2023 by the Mississippi Center for Police and Sheriffs
Currently, Captain Hale is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice with an emphasis on Strategic Intelligence at Liberty University.