Veteran officer Marissa Combs joins MCC as new campus police investigator
Meridian Community College has added a new role to its Campus Police Department, bringing
on veteran law enforcement officer Marissa Combs as the College’s first investigator.
Combs comes to MCC with 17 years of experience and a career shaped early by her father, who served in law enforcement for 25 years. She said a ride-along with his shift when she was young helped set her path. During that shift, she helped run tag numbers and locate a stolen vehicle. “I was hooked on law enforcement after that,” she said.
Combs began her career with the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department on night patrol. She later became a school resource officer and earned DARE Officer certification. In 2015, she was promoted to lieutenant over training and accreditation. Her work included supervising school resource officers, writing grants totaling about $1.2 million, managing the lake contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, overseeing training for 60 deputies, and leading the department through two successful reaccreditations.
She moved to the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security in 2022 as a School Resource Analyst and Agent. There, she traveled to campuses across the eastern region of the state, focusing on safety and security practices. She also worked with agencies on social media threat investigations and training. Combs returned to the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department in early 2024 as the School Resource Officer Sergeant before joining MCC.
Combs graduated from the Oakland Police Academy in Auburn Hills, Michigan, in 2007 and completed a refresher course at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers’ Training Academy in Pearl in 2009. In 2025, she was named as a National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) Practitioner, which is the way that NASRO recognizes officers who have excelled in the area of school-based policing. She also holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science and English from Purdue University.
As MCC’s investigator, Combs said her top priority is keeping students and employees safe. “My main goal is to ensure the safety and security of the students and staff while building relationships of trust,” she said. “A secondary goal is to continue building the police department using the skills I bring to the table.”
MCC Chief of Campus Police Joshua May said the department welcomes Combs. “We are both excited and grateful to add Investigator Combs to our ranks. Having someone with her level of education, knowledge, and skills is paramount to the success of our institution and community,” he said.
Combs said MCC was the right fit for her because she enjoys helping schools strengthen their safety practices. “Being on a campus full-time really meets those criteria,” she said. “So far, the best part of my job is meeting new people and helping troubleshoot their needs.”
When she’s not on campus, Combs enjoys horseback riding at Explorer Acres in Collinsville, reading, and walking her dogs.
To learn more about MCC Campus Police, visit meridiancc.edu/campuspolice.