Public Safety Department Consolidates Divisions Under New Law, Names Three Senior Officials
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety has restructured its divisions under a new state law and named three officials to lead them.
Commissioner Sean Tindell named James Herzog as Deputy Commissioner and Director of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Joshua Bromen as Deputy Commissioner and Director of the newly created Mississippi Law Enforcement Division, and Jim Brinson as Director of the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security.
The reorganization implements House Bill 1612, passed in the 2026 regular session, which amends Section 45-1-2 of the Mississippi Code to consolidate certain offices within the department.
Under the new structure, Herzog oversees the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security and the Mississippi Forensics Laboratory.
The Mississippi Law Enforcement Division, led by Bromen, oversees the Office of Public Safety and Planning, the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Training Academy, the Driver Service Bureau and the Office of Standards and Training.
Herzog has served as Lieutenant Colonel of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation since 2024 and has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience with the Department of Public Safety and the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
The Department of Public Safety employs more than 1,400 people. Its responsibilities include issuing driver's licenses and firearm permits, patrolling state highways, narcotics enforcement, forensic analysis, and the training and certification of law enforcement officers across Mississippi.
The department has not published a timetable for completing the reorganization, and has not said whether the changes affect staffing levels or the department's budget.