Retiring SPD Captain Troy Outlaw reflects on 26 years with department

After 26 years with the Starkville Police Department, SPD Captain Troy Outlaw has retired from law enforcement. Before he left Starkville for Las Cruces, New Mexico, Outlaw sat down to reflect on his career, which began in the middle of his senior year at Mississippi State University in1992.

“I was at Mississippi State and I wanted to be a coach because— like with everybody— the football thing didn’t work out,” Outlaw said as he laughed. “I went to Delta State (University) for a month and messed up my back, so I didn’t even make it to the first semester.”

Outlaw said one of his friends at MSU gave him the idea to apply for a position with SPD.

“I just leapt into it and it was great,” Outlaw said.

“I had a friend that was coming on to be a police officer and at that time coaching was starting to seem less enticing… I didn’t like moving around and the things that coaches go through, so I decided to just give (SPD) a shot and get a job and pay off some bills and stuff like that,” Outlaw said. “And I fell in love with it.”

Outlaw said law enforcement gave him the excitement football once had.

“You know, when you love sports like football, it gives you excitement. It’s fulfilling…and law enforcement had that same feel to it,” Outlaw said. “It was exciting and gives you a satisfaction that you’re doing something, not just punching a clock and doing one thing that day.”

Outlaw began his career as a patrol officer, but he went into investigations in 1994, which he learned to be his true love in law enforcement.

“I had been here about two years and I went into investigations… That made me love it even more and I was good at it,” Outlaw said.

He was promoted to sergeant in investigations in 1996. Outlaw said he found investigations more satisfying than patrol.

“Patrol was fun, but when I went into investigations, it just opened up a whole other world,” Outlaw said. “Being a young detective in general, I think that was probably my best time.”

“When you can take a case and turn it into something and make arrests, it’s satisfying— as opposed to just answering the calls,” Outlaw added.

Outlaw said he thinks responding to calls as a patrol officer can make officers cynical.

“That’s what I think really makes officers cynical, because when you’re cursed out and spit on and fought and only see the ugly side of people, after so long it just kind of takes a little bit alway from you,” Outlaw said.

He found investigations helped to take away his cynicism because he was able to help people and see them change for the better.

“When you can help somebody that you think would benefit from this help and that would appreciate it, you can,” Outlaw said. “You can speak for them in court, if the judge allows, you can reduce the charge, so there are things you can do that can help people.”

“Usually in patrol, you answer the call and if an arrest is needed you make the arrest and you move on,” Outlaw continued. “A (patrol) officer usually doesn’t go to court… They just do the job and keep it moving.”

In 1998, Outlaw was assigned to Patrol Supervisor. He returned to investigations in 2004 when he was promoted to lieutenant and assigned as Chief of Detectives, just before he received his degree in criminal justice in 2005 with Troy University Distance Learning. Outlaw would continue to switch between patrol and investigations positions at SPD throughout his career and promotions. He finished his career as the SPD Patrol Captain and second in command to Chief Frank Nichols.

Although he prefers investigations, Outlaw said he has always had more sympathy for patrol officers.

“I enjoy investigations more but I’ve always been more sympathetic to patrol,” Outlaw said. “In investigations you can wake up the next morning, look at the case you’ve got, have time to drink a cup of coffee and investigate the case. But with patrol you’re just making snap decisions. Those guys, at 3 a.m. or 4 a.m., having to make those decisions… So I’ve always had sympathy for them.”

Outlaw said he’s also missed the camaraderie of being a patrol officer since he became a captain in 2014.

“In patrol you have more camaraderie with the guys. You’re in the fight with them,” Outlaw said. “So that’s the kind of stuff that I miss. You know, right now I don’t know what’s going on in the meat of things with the officers.”

“When you’re down there, you know what’s going on with the officers,” he continued. “You’re there with them. You get a chance to talk to them. Up here you’re kind of by yourself.”

Reflecting on his career, Outlaw notes how much has changed in Starkville since he first became a patrol officer.

“At that time (in 1992) the city closed at 10 p.m. and nothing happened after 10 p.m.,” Outlaw said. “So the officers that came on (shift) at 10 p.m. would hurry out to try to get some tickets because they only had a short time and then it was just quiet.”

“But now it’s not. It’s a whole different city,” he continued. “Again, I feel for (patrol officers) because they’re answering calls all night.”

Outlaw said policing has also changed since 1992, especially due to cellphones and the public eye.

“We’ve got the video cameras now and cellphones and the sensitivity of our culture now,” Outlaw said.

“You’ve got to be much more sensitive with people. You’ve got to be much more aware of your surroundings. Anything that you do could be on YouTube or CNN, you know, anything,” he continued. “You’re an actor on a stage and everyone’s watching so you’ve got to bring your A-game and be mindful. You could be a lot more relaxed back then.”

Outlaw said he thinks most of the changes are for the better.

“Now, when you’re doing your job, you have to be held accountable,” Outlaw said.

“I know we as police officers are getting a hard deal right now but it’s kind of deserved because there have been some bad police officers out there over the years and there are still some out there and they need to be exposed,” he added. “This is not a profession for that. If you’re going to do this you need to be a good person, a sincerely good person who wants to help someone and not hurt them.”

Outlaw views the current time as one for “cleanup” in law enforcement.

“I feel like one day it’s going to get better for our profession but we need to clean it up before it does,” Outlaw said.

He said the proper cleanup would require leaders who wouldn’t stand for misconduct.

“Like I said, it’s taken years for this to come to pass but it’s here. It’s not going to change, we’re going to have to change,” Outlaw said. “Society’s not going to change for us and go back to where it’s more relaxed and we can do whatever we want to do as law enforcement officers. No, that time is gone and I’m glad it is.”

Outlaw said he began considering retirement in spring 2018.

“Around April I made a decision and told chief about it,” Outlaw said.

In May, Outlaw’s wife, Janel, got a job as an oncology nurse at MountainView Regional Medical Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where he moved Saturday morning.

“And it’s called that because there’s a beautiful mountain behind the hospital,” Outlaw said. “The first thing that I’m going to do is I’m going to do some hiking.”

“And I’m going to join a gym… you know, you see the older guys in no particular hurry, they just get them a nice long workout and sit in the showers a long time,” Outlaw chuckled. “They ain’t going anywhere.”

Outlaw said he’s going to enjoy retirement for at least six months, and if he gets a new job, it won’t be in law enforcement.

“I’m done with the badge. I just want to be a citizen for a while— well, for the rest of my life,” Outlaw said.

Outlaw said he’s going to miss Starkville.

“I’m going to miss the city. I’m going to miss my family here. Me and the children, we’ve always been together. I raised them and now we’re all going our separate ways,” Outlaw said.

Outlaw raised his three children, Troy Jr., Micheal and Taylor, but now, his youngest, Taylor, is in her first year at Millsaps College.

Outlaw said he’ll also miss his second family at SPD.

“Even though a lot of the officers are young, and I’m just getting to know them, I’m going to still miss them because they’re a part of my family now, my police family,” Outlaw said. “I’m going to definitely miss everybody.”

He said he’s thankful for his time in Starkville.

“I’m very thankful. I appreciate the city giving me an opportunity to serve it. I don’t take it lightly. I always carried myself professionally— I would think that I did. I’ve heard it enough times to believe that I have,” Outlaw said. “I’m very grateful. I don’t think I would change anything.”

But now, Outlaw said he’s ready for a change.

“I was born and raised here, never left, except for that little month in Delta State,” Outlaw said. “It’s time to explore and have a different zip code.”