04/06/2026
Hope to see everyone tomorrow at the polls! Your vote would be greatly appreciated! 🗳️
I, Rodney Ivie, would like to announce my candidacy for Portageville Chief of Police for the upcoming 2026 municipal election. Portageville has been my home for over 50 years, and I am proud to be part of this community. I am committed to protect the citizens of Portageville and to enhance the safety of our community while operating within the budget designated by city officials and maintaining an efficient and effective police department.
After graduating from Portageville High School (Class of 1982) and Southeast Missouri State University (May 1987: Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement option with Minor in Sociology), I began working in law enforcement and continued this type of work throughout my career of more than 37 years. During this time, I have maintained Missouri Peace Officer Standards and Training Certification (P.O.S.T.) and accrued over 2600 training hours related to law enforcement. While working at the county, state, and federal levels, I have gained extensive experience working within both courts and legal frameworks.
I began my career in law enforcement as a Deputy with the Pemiscot County Sheriff's Office on January 1, 1989. While working with the Sheriff's Department, I was promoted to Lieutenant, and I worked as the Bootheel Drug Task Force Commander. I managed a $120,000 Task Force budget, supervised investigations of narcotics and dangerous drugs, and served as a liaison with other state and federal drug enforcement agencies. My law enforcement colleagues and I served over 60 search warrants, made over 360 felony arrests, confiscated drugs with a street value of over $5.5 million, and established the first case in Missouri for the sale of a controlled substance within 1000 feet of a school. After being promoted to Captain, I assisted with the supervision of 26 full-time/part-time deputies, investigated all homicides and violent crimes, coordinated investigations with other police departments, and prepared news releases.
In August,1993, I was accepted into the Missouri Department of Conservation Service Agent Training class and have remained in their service for over 32 years. I served as a Conservation Agent in New Madrid County for 15 1/2 years and a Special Investigations Covert Investigator on deep-cover assignments for 2 1/2 years. Since January 2013, I have served as Special Investigation Field Supervisor/Protection Branch Captain. My current duties are to plan and conduct investigations of major wildlife violation activities by gathering evidence, writing reports, preparing testimony, and tracking cases through adjudication. Also, I serve as a liaison between MDC and other states' conservation agencies, represent MDC on the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Investigations and Intelligence Investigator Summits, and oversee MDC's interest in activities involving wildlife cybercrime enforcement. Through these experiences and other training, I become qualified as a lead instructor for the Missouri Department of Conservation - Covert Operations School and serve as a trainer at the nationwide Wildlife Investigator Covert Academy. Additionally, I have instructed Law Enforcement Officers in states from coast to coast of the United States about covert operations.
My position and law enforcement experience allowed me to be appointed as a United States Law Enforcement Officer by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the ability to serve as an expert witness in covert operations in state court when needed.
As preparation for the positions I have held, I have completed 1168.5 law enforcement training hours outside the Missouri Department of Conservation and over 1500 hours within the Missouri Department of Conservation and Pemiscot County Sheriff's Department. I have completed the following school/academy training opportunities.
* Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control Narcotics Investigator (Covert School)
* DEA Basic Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Law Enforcement Covert School
* Missouri Training Institute Supervisor Certificate Series
* National Association of Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Leadership Academy
* Hostage Negotiations School
* FBI Law Enforcement Surveillance Photographic School
* FBI Fi****ms Instructor School
I have completed training at the national level with the Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Leadership Academy and by attending summits of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. On the state and county levels, I have training regarding police discipline, supervisor training, police instructor training (MSHP), forensic interviewing and interrogation techniques, covert operations of MOCIC, ATF, and DEA, high-risk entry, ATF explosive fi****ms, and DEA narcotics and dangerous drug law enforcement.
During my career, our covert specialist team and Chief received the 2017 National Geographic Wildlife Trafficking Investigation Award for undercover operation that stopped illegal trafficking of American Paddlefish and their eggs. I worked with the Missouri Department of Conservation and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct a joint investigation involving suspects from 19 different states who were poaching American Paddlefish and selling their eggs on the black market.
I have a planned retirement date of March, 2026 and would like the opportunity to serve the citizens of Portageville as Chief of Police following the election in April, 2026. I believe I am qualified for the position of Chief of Police based on the work experiences and training I have done throughout my career. I look forward to meeting and talking with the citizens of Portageville throughout the campaign and I would appreciate your vote on my behalf so that I may serve as your Chief of Police.
Thank You,
Rodney Ivie
