NATCHEZ — David Lindsey has a big job to tackle; he’ll be the first to tell you drugs are a problem in Adams County.

But the new commander of Metro Narcotics has a game plan and a few goals.

Lindsey has plans to take down big-time drug dealers.

“I want to concentrate more on upper-level violators instead of street-level violators,” Lindsey said.

But while Lindsey said drug flow has to be cut off at its source, that doesn’t mean he will be looking the other way when it comes to lesser violators — in fact, he plans on using them to his advantage.

“You have to start with the small fish to catch the big fish,” Lindsey said.

“We’ll never get rid of all the drugs in Adams County, but we’re going to try to put a big dent in it.”

Lindsey brings 23 years of law enforcement experience to his new post at Metro, a join city-county task force aimed at fighting drugs. Sheriff Chuck Mayfield hired Lindsey when he took office earlier this month.

Lindsey has always felt the call to be a law enforcement officer, and now serving as Metro Narcotics Commander, Lindsey has his dream job.

“I’ve always wanted to be the commander of (Metro) since I started (working on the force) in 1999,” Lindsey said.

Much of Lindsey’s career in law enforcement has been spent working at the Natchez Police Department.

“I started out in law enforcement in the military and spent three years in the military police,” Lindsey said.

He went back to school after the military before joining NPD in 1992.

“I worked on patrol for a few years, and got assigned to the narcotics unit under Sheriff Tommy Ferrell, but (Mayfield) was over the narcotics unit at that time,” Lindsey said.

Lindsey said it was during the seven years working in Metro that he got the opportunity work with both police officers and sheriff’s deputies on the task force.

Lindsey left Metro a year ago to take a promotion to lieutenant at NPD.

“I love working for (Mayfield) and it was an honor for me when he asked me if I wanted to be a commander of this unit,” Lindsey said. “I think if I can do as much as he did, then we’ll be doing just fine.

“I’m trying to follow in his footsteps,” Lindsey said. “I learned a lot from him, and I’m trying to carry on with it.”

Mayfield said Lindsey was the obvious choice for the unit in which he’s always taken such pride.

“David was an agent of mine for seven years,” Mayfield said. “He was honest and loyal and hard-working, and if he was given a mission, he completed it.

“He’s a very responsible person. He’s tenacious with his investigations and that’s the biggest thing.”

Currently, Lindsey’s force consists of two sheriff’s deputies and an NPD officer, but he expects to have another team member when an officer shortage at the NPD is solved.

“(Police Chief) Mike Mullins budgeted for two officers over here, but he’s short-staffed. But he said once he’s up to staff, he’ll send another over,” Lindsey said.

And through the help of his fellow law enforcement officers, Lindsey said the jump from managing people to managing people and an office hasn’t been as bad as it could have been.

“The former commander (Frank Smith) helped me out a great deal. He showed me all the paperwork that had been involved,” Lindsey said. “We are just now getting ready to get kicked off.

“These are a good group of guys that I’m working with. I want to do my job and help my agents do their job to the best of their abilities,” Lindsey said.

Lindsey said when it comes to working with Metro, the bond between teammates is what stands between each agent and his safety.

“I trust them with my life, and I know they trust me with their’s.”