[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 26, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E777]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





        COMMENDING CHIEF GARY PONTHIEUX, JR. UPON HIS RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. STEVEN M. PALAZZO

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 26, 2022

  Mr. PALAZZO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished 
service of Chief Gary Ponthieux, who will retire this year after 28 
years of service to South Mississippi.
  Chief Ponthieux, from Bay St. Louis, MS, currently resides in Pass 
Christian, MS, where he lives with his wife, the former Kacey Edwards 
of Bay St. Louis and their children, Luci (12) and Max (9). Chief 
Ponthieux obtained his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice with a 
double minor in Forensic Science and Psychology from the University of 
Southern Mississippi. In 1994, Chief Ponthieux attended the Hattiesburg 
Police Department Law Enforcement Academy and received the highest 
academic award.
  Chief Ponthieux began his public service career in 1994 with the 
Gulfport Police Department as a police officer. Within a short period, 
he worked his way up to Narcotics Detective and served from April 1995 
to January 2003. In January 2003, he was promoted to Criminal 
Investigations Detective Sergeant. He continued to serve the Gulfport 
community in this role until November 2017. Following his time as 
Criminal Investigations Detective Sergeant, he left the Gulfport Police 
Department to serve as Chief of Police of Bay St. Louis. Concluding his 
time in Gulfport, he spent a little over 23 years serving the Gulfport 
community and nearly five years serving the Bay St. Louis community. 
Chief Ponthieux has spent 28 years serving the people of South 
Mississippi.
  For his service, Chief Ponthieux has been awarded numerous 
prestigious awards, such as the top academic award as a graduate of the 
Hattiesburg Police Academy, being named outstanding officer by the 
Gulfport Rotary Club, Gulfport Chamber of Commerce, and many more. Upon 
his retirement, Gary took a position with the High Intensity Drug 
Trafficking Area, HIDTA, a DEA task force that targets high-intensity 
drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
  Chief Ponthieux has continuously gone above and beyond to answer the 
call of public service. I am grateful for his service and dedication to 
South Mississippi. Most importantly, he embodies the virtues of 
integrity, hard work, and selflessness that South Mississippians expect 
from their government officials. Chief Ponthieux leaves the City of Bay 
St. Louis better than he found it. On behalf of the Fourth 
Congressional District of Mississippi, I congratulate Chief Ponthieux 
on his retirement, and may God watch over him and his family as he 
continues to serve and protect.

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