In Olive Branch, Mississippi, WMC Action News 5 recently brought to light a concerning issue. It turns out that a police officer in the Mid-South region left one department under disreputable circumstances, only to be employed by another local police agency.
The said officer has lost both of his jobs and may face a possible ban from serving as a law enforcement officer anywhere in Tennessee.
Former Collierville Police Officer DeMario Pree’s graduation picture from the police academy in November 2022 can be viewed on the Collierville Police Department’s Facebook page. The photo features Pree standing alongside Police Chief Dale Lane.
Scheduled for Thursday, Pree was set to attend a decertification hearing by the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission in Nashville. This was due to his resignation from the Collierville Police Department while facing disciplinary action.
The reason behind Pree’s departure from Collierville police remains undisclosed.
According to Action News 5, Pree departed from the agency in the spring of 2024 and later appeared at the Olive Branch Police Department in DeSoto County, Mississippi.
On June 6th, Mayor Ken Adams was captured in a photo posted on the Olive Branch Police Department’s Facebook page. The photo showcased the mayor with a beaming smile as he shook hands with Pree during his swearing-in ceremony with the department.
Following Thursday’s POST hearing, where Pree was absent, Mayor Adams and Police Chief William Cox issued the following statement:
“Effective immediately, DeMario Pree is no longer employed by the Olive Branch Police Department. Personnel matters are not discussed by the Olive Branch Police Department nor the City of Olive Branch.”
It was never clarified why Pree didn’t attend the POST hearing. However, a person who was present at the hearing informed the commission that Pree was aware of the hearing.
According to a staff member, the individual was intended to appear last month, but due to a sick family member, they requested to reschedule for this month. However, the staff member mentioned that they contacted the individual a few days ago and they are currently unavailable.
Despite being moved to the bottom of the agenda to allow for more time, Pree failed to appear at his hearing before the commission.
The POST commission made a unanimous decision to decertify Pree, even though he was not present. The commission will inform the State of Mississippi about this decision, but it is uncertain how it will affect his chances of obtaining another law enforcement position in the Magnolia State.
