Top story of the Year No. 7
Smith fills vacant MPD leadership posts

By Staff
Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
Jan. 1, 2003
Mayor John Robert Smith ended months of speculation on two separate occasions in his appointments of Meridian's police chief and assistant chief.
Smith first named longtime MPD veteran Benny DuBose to head the department in January. Months later, in October, Capt. Keith McCary was then named as the assistant police chief.
DuBose moved from assistant chief to fill in for former Police Chief Jeff Lewis, who retired in July 2001. Lewis' post was left vacant for more than six months while Smith decided who he would appoint.
After DuBose was finally named as Lewis' replacement, the new chief and the mayor spent months interviewing three candidates for assistant chief: McCary, Capt. Betty Evans and Lt. Al Brown.
In the end, McCary, a 23-year Meridian Police Department veteran, won.