Mississippi Department of Public Safety

What Mississippi Department of Public Safety does

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (MDPS) is a state government agency founded in 1938 and headquartered in Pearl, Mississippi, operating with over 1,400 employees to deliver public safety services to the state's approximately 3 million residents across all 82 counties. The agency is led by Commissioner Sean Tindell and operates through sixteen core divisions including the Driver Service Bureau, Highway Patrol, Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Narcotics, Homeland Security, Office of Forensic Laboratories, the 243-acre Law Enforcement Officers' Training Academy (MLEOTA), Public Safety Planning, Standards and Training, Crime Stoppers, Capitol Police, and Commercial Transportation Enforcement. Service offerings span driver's license issuance and renewal, firearm permits, background checks, crash reports, highway patrol and traffic enforcement, narcotics enforcement, prescription drug take-back, crime tip reporting, sex offender registry maintenance, and sex offender/fugitive identification. The Office of Justice Programs administers more than $50 million in federal and state grant funding annually for criminal justice planning, and the Mississippi Office of Highway Safety administers federally funded highway safety programs under the Highway Safety Act of 1966 in coordination with NHTSA.

The technology backbone centers on the Mississippi Forensics Laboratory (MSFL), an ISO-accredited facility with a main Pearl laboratory and three regional sites (Batesville, Gulf Coast, Meridian). The lab provides controlled substance analysis, DNA/biosciences, firearms and tool mark examination, toxicology (including Headspace Gas Chromatography, GC/MS, LC/MS/MS, and Co-oximetry), trace evidence, and latent print identification. The lab is integrated with federal forensic networks including CODIS (FBI DNA Index System), AFIS/NGI (fingerprint identification), NIBIN/IBIS (ballistic evidence, ATF-launched), SoleMate FPX (footwear), and NamUs (missing and unidentified persons). The LIMS Plus Portal / iResults system provides law enforcement agencies secure access to case reports and toxicology results. MLEOTA delivers both on-campus and field training programs including a 480-hour Basic Law Enforcement Class ($4,000 per student officer), 200-hour Refresher Class ($1,800), Certified Investigator Program ($2,500), Narcotics Investigation Certification ($1,800), and the forthcoming Mississippi Law Enforcement Leaders Academy (MLELA).

MDPS is funded through a combination of state government appropriations, federal grants from the U.S. Department of Justice, NHTSA, and other federal programs, and service fees collected from driver's license issuance, duplicate licenses, firearm permits, background checks, and crash report purchases. The agency serves two primary segments: Mississippi residents requiring licensing and public safety services, and state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies requiring training, forensic analysis, and grant funding. As the state-designated public safety authority, MDPS operates as a regulatory monopoly with statutory responsibility for law enforcement certification, forensic analysis, driver's licensing, and highway safety programming within Mississippi.

Name

Mississippi Department of Public Safety

Legal name

Mississippi Department of Public Safety

Website

https://dps.ms.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety is a state government agency founded in 1938 with over 1,400 employees, delivering driver's licensing, highway patrol, forensic laboratory services, law enforcement training, narcotics enforcement, and grant administration to Mississippi's 3 million residents across all 82 counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Public Safety Services

NAICS

Police Protection (92212), Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (9221), Other Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922190)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIABAH

State/Provincial Health Department & Public Health Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/State/Provincial & Regional Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAIAGAA

Police Services (Patrol, Response & Community Policing)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Law Enforcement & Public Safety (Police, Fire, EMS)

SECONDARYBPAIABAO

State/Provincial Licensing, Permitting & Regulatory Administration (Cross-sector)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/State/Provincial & Regional Government Administration

Keywords

• Law enforcement services
• Driver licensing services
• Forensic laboratory services
• Highway patrol operations
• Public safety training

Headquarters

HQ city

Pearl

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Appropriation and Federal Grants: The department is primarily funded through state government appropriations and federal grants from agencies including the U.S. Department of Justice, NHTSA, and other federal programs. The Office of Justice Programs oversees more than $50 million in federal and state grant funding each year.
2. Service Fees: Revenue generated from fees for services such as driver's license issuance, duplicate licenses, firearm permits, background checks, and crash report purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety is a state government agency providing law enforcement, public safety, and regulatory services including driver's licensing, firearm permits, highway patrol, narcotics enforcement, forensic analysis, death investigations, and law enforcement training. These services are delivered through divisions such as the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Forensics Laboratory, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Mississippi Medical Examiner's Office, Mississippi Driver Service Bureau, and the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Training Academy.

Product overview

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety is a state government agency (not a commercial product company) providing law enforcement, public safety, and regulatory services to Mississippi residents. The agency operates multiple divisions including the Mississippi Forensics Laboratory (MSFL) with main and regional facilities for forensic analysis; the State Medical Examiner's Office for death investigations; MLEOTA for law enforcement training; Driver Service Bureau for licensing; Highway Patrol; Bureau of Narcotics; Bureau of Investigation; Mississippi Office of Highway Safety for traffic safety programs; and Office of Justice Programs for criminal justice planning and grants administration. Additional services include Crime Stoppers tip reporting, Capitol Police, Commercial Transportation Enforcement, Firearm Permits, Sex Offender Registry, Background Checks, Crash Reports, and Mobile ID. These operate as distinct functional units rather than an integrated software product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Driver Licensing and State ID Services State-issued driver licenses and state identification cards for Mississippi residents, provided by the Mississippi Driver Service Bureau. The bureau issues over 1.6 million driver licenses and state IDs and serves over 650,000 registered drivers in Mississippi.
• Firearm Permits State-issued firearm permits, including concealed carry permits, regulated and issued by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety for eligible Mississippi residents.
• Mississippi Highway Patrol Services Statewide highway patrol, traffic enforcement, and in-car camera evidence services delivered through the Mississippi Highway Patrol to protect public safety on Mississippi roadways.
• Mississippi Bureau of Investigation Major crime investigations and in-car camera evidence services provided by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation for jurisdictions across Mississippi.
• Mississippi Forensics Laboratory Services ISO-accredited forensic analysis services including DNA testing, fingerprint identification (AFIS/NGI), ballistic imaging (NIBIN/IBIS), and analytical toxicology using GC/MS instrumentation, provided to Mississippi law enforcement agencies.
• Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics Statewide narcotics enforcement and investigation services delivered by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics to combat drug-related crime across Mississippi.
• Mississippi Medical Examiner's Office Death investigations and forensic medical examination services performed by the Mississippi Medical Examiner's Office for jurisdictions across the state.
• Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Training Academy Law enforcement officer training and certification services delivered through the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Training Academy, the largest law enforcement training facility in the state.
• Public Records and Statistics Services Public-facing services including professional licensing information, criminal record checks, public registry, crash reports, and crime statistics, provided to the public and law enforcement agencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Between 1,400 and 1,700 medicolegal postmortem examinations are performed each year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHTSA serves as the federal oversight agency for Mississippi Office of Highway Safety. The MOHS administers federally-funded highway safety programs in accordance with the Highway Safety Act of 1966. Funds include Section 402-General Traffic Safety, Section 154-Open Container Funds, Section 405b-Occupant Protection Funds, Section 405c-Traffic Records Funds, and Section 405d-Impaired Driving Funds.
• Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGHSA partners with NHTSA to create the National Law Enforcement Liaison Program (NLELP) designed to enhance communications between Law Enforcement Liaisons and ensure greater coordination of LEL activities nationwide.
• State Traffic Records Coordinating Committee (STRCC) Member AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-agency coordination committee including Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol, Motor Carrier Division, Crash Reconstruction, Driver Services, Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS), Management Information Services, Mississippi Crime Lab, Department of Transportation, Mississippi Department of Health, Emergency Medical Services, Department of Revenue, Department of Information Technology Services, Mississippi Sheriffs Association, Mississippi Chiefs of Police, FHWA, and FMCSA.
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)coreTechnology or IntegrationThe Mississippi Forensics Laboratory utilizes the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) launched by ATF. IBIS units are housed at Mississippi Forensic Laboratories in Pearl and Biloxi for ballistic evidence correlation across state and bordering cities.
• TRIAD Partner AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRIAD partnerships between law enforcement agencies (sheriff's offices and police departments) and older or retired community members enhance law enforcement services for senior citizens. Currently 23 active TRIAD programs covering 28% of Mississippi counties with goal to expand to all 82 counties.
• U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice ProgramscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOJP administers federal grants from U.S. Department of Justice including Byrne JAG Program, juvenile justice funds under JJDPA, and other criminal justice planning grants. Annual funding exceeds $50 million.
• Mississippi Department of Mental HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough grant funding, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health purchased 27 prescription drug drop boxes for placement at law enforcement agencies throughout the state, complementing existing MBN drop boxes.
• Law Enforcement Liaisons (LEL) NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw Enforcement Liaisons serve as vital links between the State Highway Safety Office and law enforcement community. LELs help promote and enhance state and national highway safety programs, initiatives and campaigns throughout Mississippi.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Alabama Department of Public Safety: Alabama's state-level public safety agency with analogous divisions covering driver's licensing, highway patrol, bureau of investigation, and forensic services. It is the most directly comparable state peer given geographic proximity and overlapping statutory functions.
• South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED): South Carolina's primary state-level criminal investigation and forensic services agency. Directly comparable as a regional state law enforcement/forensic lab peer with overlapping forensic integration into federal systems.
• Arkansas State Police: Arkansas's state law enforcement agency under the Department of Public Safety performing criminal investigation, highway patrol, and regulatory enforcement. Directly comparable as a neighboring state public safety / state police entity.
• Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections: Louisiana's consolidated public safety and corrections agency operating parallel functions to MDPS including state police, motor vehicles, and Office of State Police crime laboratory. Comparable in scale and structure to MDPS.
• Georgia Department of Public Safety: Georgia's state-level public safety agency encompassing the Georgia State Patrol, Capitol Police, and motor vehicle services. Direct peer in scope of state law enforcement and licensing functions.
• Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security: Tennessee's state agency handling driver's licensing, highway patrol, and homeland security. Shares the same multi-functional state public safety mandate and operates similar forensic/laboratory services for Tennessee.

Broad incumbents

• Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles: Florida's larger state agency combining highway patrol and motor vehicle licensing at substantially greater scale. Comparable as a state public safety entity with stronger funding base and broader geographic mandate.
• California Highway Patrol: California's statewide highway patrol agency with comparable traffic enforcement, training academy, and forensic investigative services functions. A larger, broader incumbent in the same state public safety category.
• FBI Laboratory Division: Federal-level forensic laboratory operator that MDPS's Mississippi Forensics Laboratory interoperates with via CODIS, NGI, and NIBIN. Comparable as a forensic services peer at the federal tier, setting the standards and systems MDPS uses.
• Texas Department of Public Safety: Texas's significantly larger state public safety agency providing comprehensive law enforcement, driver's licensing, and forensic services. Comparable in mandate, but operates at materially greater scale and budget.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MissDPS
• Facebookfacebook.com/MissDPS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mississippi-department-of-public-safety
• Instagraminstagram.com/mississippi_dps

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mississippi Department of Public Safety