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Hendricks elected new Vidalia Police Chief
Published Sunday, March 9, 2008
VIDALIA — By more than a 10 percent margin, the voters of Vidalia elected a new chief of police Saturday.
Ronnie G. “Tapper” Hendricks received 55.72 percent of the election with 892 votes while 10-year incumbent Billy Hammers carried 44.28 percent with 709 votes.
Waiting for the results to come in at the clerk of court’s office Saturday night, Hammers said no matter which way they went, he was glad the election had come and gone.
Photo by Marcus Frazier
Courtney Fanning grins as she, Matthew Hendricks and Ronnie “Tapper” Hendricks view a printout of election results before final numbers came in Saturday evening.
When the news came in, he took the news stoically.
“It was a hard fought campaign, but I guess God had other plans for me,” Hammers said.
At Hendricks’ victory party, a group of supporters gathered around him to offer their congratulations and continued support.
“I feel wonderful,” Hendricks said. “I can’t explain it in words.”
Hendricks said he wanted to thank God, his family and his supporters for helping bring about his election.
“After the primary election, we knew the people of Vidalia wanted a change,” Hendricks said. “Going into voting today I felt good about the election because of all the support I had. I believe one of the keys to my success is the organization of my supporters.”
Hendricks also had a message for the voters who did not cast their ballots for him, he said.
“I am their chief, and I am going to be there for them also,” Hendricks said. “I am going to work for the city and the citizens of Vidalia.”
In the primary election, both Hendricks and Hammers garnered approximately 42 percent of the vote. A total of 1,775 voters cast ballots in the primary, while 1,601 members of the electorate cast votes in the run-off Saturday.
Hendricks will take office in July.
Comments
Posted by Choctaw (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 9:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is the biggest mistake the people of Vidalia has ever made!
Now Randy Maxwell not only has complete control of Concordia Parish,,,,,He now has the Crown Jewel,,,,,Vidalia!
This is a very sad day for Vidalia!!!!!
Posted by bear45 (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 9:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good going Tapper, I am sure you will do a great job!!!!!
Posted by vidalianative (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 9:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good for you Tapper
Posted by emp (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 9:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Choctaw, get over yourself. Tapper is his own man. I think he will do a great job.
Posted by 3kids (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 9:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
does anyone know about the mayor's race?
Posted by 3kids (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 9:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
way to go Tapper
Posted by overthehill60 (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 9:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
((Choctaw)) Well said!!!!
Let's see how long it takes for him to get bored with this job. Nothing else has held his attention for long.
Tapper was brown nosed as a child & it seems he still is.
Posted by 3kids (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 9:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
overthehill do u know what brown nosed means? and do u know Tapper personally?
Posted by rperez (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 9:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yes Glen got back in WOOO HOO CONGRATS TO BOTH!!!!!
Posted by bayoulady (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 9:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It is indeed a sad day for Vidalia.
Posted by doodlebug (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 9:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratulations Tapper!! I know you will do a great job.
Posted by carried_away (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 9:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What a pity his moral character was not up for election. Who's really the puppet master the new wife's ex-father in-law or your wanna be dad?
Posted by oldriverrat (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 9:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
carried_away, I guess your moral character is beyond reproach. Who are you to judge someone's character? The people of Vidalia have spoken, they wanted change. Congratulations Tapper.
Posted by carried_away (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 10:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You are right oldriverrat only God has that right, but as someone who personally knows Tapper his own actions speak volumes. I do hope for Vidalia sake though that they have not made a grave error in judgment.
Posted by overthehill60 (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 10:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
((3kids)) YES to both questions!!!!!
Posted by okay (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 3 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Some of you really need to get over yourselves. I hope that whenever you need him you dont go a calling. Cause guess what WE WON!!!!. And for all of those who did support Tapper you knew what was right and he will be there for you as citizens and he will do what is right for this city. So dont worry you will talk about him in the future but it will only be about what good is going on. This just goes to show that change was for the better and change is what needed to happen. Thank you voters for supporting my friend because he will do a wonderful job.
Posted by okay (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 3:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Some of you just need to shut up and get over it Tapper won. Congrats to him because I know he will do a wonderful job. Also some of you need to get over Maxwell being Sheriff he won so get over it for the next for years.
Posted by okay (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 3:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Some of you just need to shut up and get over it Tapper won. Congrats to him because I know he will do a wonderful job. Also some of you need to get over Maxwell being Sheriff he won so get over it for the next four years.
Posted by gerandall58 (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 6:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't honestly believe that Billy would want the negative talk either , he is a very close and personal friend of mine and I have known him for years, he is a man of integrity and duty. He will work with Tapper in any way needed to see a smooth transition because he wants what's best for the city of Vidalia. The majority has spoken, move on!
Posted by itsawounderfullife (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 9:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Okay You need to take some of your own words into consideration, and while you do that grow up just a little bit. I hope you are right about him "Tapper" I hope he proves us all wrong!!!!!! I shure as hell hope he doesnt have your attitude, we DONT need that kindoff atitude running around here with a chief of police badge. Good luck Tapper and Congradulations I hope God will CONTINUE to be in your heart.
Posted by okay (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 11:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry I was just overly excited.
Posted by doodlebug (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 12:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What a wonderful surprise I had today when I read the comments about the Chief of Police race in Vidalia. To find three individuals (overthehill60, carried_away & Choctaw) who are beyond reproach living here in the Miss-Lou area in fascinating!!! I have never met One individual beyond reproach never the less three!! How great!! I would love to meet so you could give me some pointers. When I left church this morning, the only lessons I learned were, judge not least ye be judged, love thy neighbor and let he who is without sin cast the first stone. I think I'll have a word with that preacher and let him know what we are missing out on in the real world!!! Until we chat again, stay perfect!!! Hail to the new Chief for the next four years! Have a great and blessed day!!
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 12:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Tapper you are the chief now prove all of these wrong the bottom line is that you are the one running the police dept alot of people will be looking at what you do and remember you cannot make everyone happy do what you think is right
Posted by jack (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 12:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yes natchez500 he will do good if he follows his heart do one thing Tapper do not let your wife run the dept like Hammer did Be your own man son you will do great things for vidalia Make changes that are needed
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 1:27 p.m.
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Posted by dixiebelle (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 8:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Congrats Tapper! Maybe now we'll actually have a police force that's visible in the town except for of course, Popeye's!
Posted by sparky018 (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 8:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with u dixiebelle. I don't live there but every time I pass through there which is on a daily basis, VPD is always there! Isn't there something they could be doing? I guess Vidalia has no crime at all! The only time I see Natchez PD is when they are speeding (60+MPH) to go and get some coffee or late for there shift! Thats great tax dollars at work! Congrats Tapper, I am sure you will change things for that town! I'm looking for a new town to move too! This one is SINKING!
Posted by justayappin (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 9:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Can't help but laugh at some of you that are talking so critical about the election. Tapper is a wonderful person, and I have known him all my life. Everyone has a past - even YOU who are doing the dirty talk. Clear your slate!!! ~ then move to judge another - YOU too will be judged one day! Chief Hammer did a good job, until his officers took advantage of his kindness. It is time for the officers to do what they are hired to do - not what they want to do! Now the town has choosen the one that they believe to be the best - let's support him! For you that don't live in Vidalia or did not choose to vote, you have no right to speak up!
Posted by southern_bell (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 11:17 p.m.
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Posted by fateiscomingforu (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 11:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Some of you think the world has ended now that Billy lost the election and others of you think the streets will turn to gold now that Tapper won. Grow up, not that much will change, you will still call the police when you have a problem and they will still come and do what they can to solve it. I have learned one thing since moving to Vidalia, it has some of the most spoiled citizens of anywhere I have ever been. People complained about this and that and when the police did something about it, a lot of the time it was someone complaining that got caught doing what was being complained about. And then what happened, they complained about getting caught. Who can make people like that happy, I will answer my own question, NO ONE.
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on March 10, 2008 at 11:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
TAPPER WILL MAKE A GOOD CHIEF BUT WILL HE KEEP HIS PROMISES LIKE CLEANING HOUSE WAY TOO MANY CHIEFS AND CAPTAINS ITS TIME FOR A CLEAN HOUSE TAPPER WE WILL DEPEND ON YOU
Posted by eyeinthesky (anonymous) on March 10, 2008 at 4:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
what are all you Tapper fans gonna do when he hires Ricky Williams as his assistant chief or a position with the same authority cause its about to happen. You all just got suckered.
Posted by jack (anonymous) on March 10, 2008 at 5:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i cannot believe this young man will hire anyone like ricky and i sure hope he does not keep george look at how many votes ricky got for himself how can he help tapper and george well look at how many it cost hammers lets see if tapper is a good politican he sure ran a good clean campaign to screw it up now lets see
Posted by eyeinthesky (anonymous) on March 10, 2008 at 5:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Get Ready its about to get ugly.
Posted by eyeinthesky (anonymous) on March 10, 2008 at 5:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Get ready its about to get ugly.
Posted by drdr (anonymous) on March 12, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This 'change' thing perplexes me. be careful what you ask for. Vidalia is a wonderful place. People do feel safe. I know many(although I don't recommend it) who don't even lock their doors. Can you say that about Natchez, or Ferriday? Within a 50 mile radius, most people I know if given the choice would move here. not to Natchez or Ferriday, or.... Vidalia has the best public schools around-- hands down. Hear of a lot stabbings or rapes in Vidalia schools? How about in other schools around the country? Do you people really want change in this peaceful little town? If it were so bad would you see all the development (commercial and housing) that is everywhere you look? Let's not pretend this is about crime, or safety. It's about power, and who you know, and the fact that money talks. Billy would have done anything for this town-- but not because of what your name is or who your daddy is. He still would, but he is just disappointed and hurt. That's all I have to say. Just don't pretend this is about crime, or better schools, or speeding on Carter St. I've lived in a lot of cities, and I have never seen the speed control that people exhibit through this town. Maybe not exactly 35, but not over 44. I've admittedly been stuck behind a lot of <30s, myself. Let's get real and end these blogs. Now I feel better. You won't hear from me again. Really, what do you want to change about Vidalia-- it's a star according to a lot of press reports. And the comment about billy's wife-- totally inappropriate, jack. Would you like some comments about your wife to be brought up here?
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