TALLULAH — A 28-year veteran of the Madison Parish Sheriff’s Department has retired and started a new career with the district attorney’s office.

Sammie Byrd, longtime chief deputy, was given a farewell party by his coworkers at the sheriff’s office last week, then started work Monday as an investigator for newly elected District Attorney James Paxton.

Byrd said he was ready for a change, and saw a golden opportunity when Paxton, whom he’d grown up with in Tallulah, was voted into office. “I think a lot of him,” Byrd said.

“I’ve always been fascinated with the judicial system as a whole,” he added. “Law enforcement is just one part of that. Ours is maybe not a perfect system, but it’s the best in the world.”

Byrd, who will be 55 next week, said he is still settling into his new role and is glad to be returning exclusively to investigative work. He will be working with local police, sheriff’s deputies, state police and other agencies. “I’ll be assisting them in overseeing the case as it’s being worked so we don’t miss something we will need at the trial,” he said.

He’s glad to be leaving behind the scheduling, personnel issues and other time-consuming administrative chores of his former position. It’s easy to get burned out from those demands, he said.

He said he will also miss working in the same office with his wife, Lisa, the department’s chief civil deputy, who has logged 32 years of service there. The couple has five daughters ranging in age from 20 to 32.

In his new role, he’ll be in contact with many of his former coworkers at the sheriff’s department, “just not as often.”

“I think we might use him more now that he’s in the DA’s office,” laughed Sheriff Larry Cox. “But we’re really going to miss him and all the little things he’s done around here. I’m happy for him, though.”

Byrd started in law enforcement at the age of 18 in a stint with the Tallulah Police Department, but found the pay too low to support his family. “I couldn’t survive on the salary,” he said.

He then sold car parts and took other odd jobs before signing on with the sheriff’s department in July 1978. About 1994, he left to become head of security at the then-Tallulah Juvenile Facility, but returned to the sheriff’s department after about a year and a half. He has worked under three sheriffs, and has been chief criminal deputy under Sheriff Larry Cox since 1996.

His farewell party last week was “very humbling,” he said, and attended by colleagues and former co-workers from as far away as Memphis and Destin, Fla.

Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace, who has worked with Byrd in cases across the Mississippi-Louisiana border, said he was glad Byrd was not dropping out of sight.

“He will be missed in his role with the sheriff’s office,” said Pace, “but we’re looking forward to continuing to work with him in Madison Parish. Sammie and I have worked together for over 25 years, and he’s always been an asset not only to his community but to this region.”

“I’ve always felt blessed in my work but I feel especially blessed with this move,” Byrd said. “It was the right thing for me right now.”

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Contact Pamela Hitchins phitchins@vicksburgpost.com