2 LPD members receive promotion; 1 makes history

LAUREL, Miss. - Two Laurel Police Officers received a promotion Friday in front of their families and co-workers at City Hall.

First, was Sergeant Shannon Caraway.

Caraway was promoted to Lieutenant, becoming the first African American and the first female to earn that rank in Laurel Police history.

"To be in law enforcement, you got to love it because we don't get paid what we should. We don't get appreciated like we should. But, we come out here every day and every night to risk our lives. We take from our families and we give it everything that we have. Every day, if one of my sergeants, or lieutenants, or chiefs say go, I go. No complaints. I just go. I just thank God that I stayed the course," said Caraway.

Corporal John Stringer was promoted to Sergeant.

"I take my job very seriously and as an FTO officer, I have tried to install that in the young officers that came through here. I'm just going to continue to operate on that mentality as a Sergeant to lead the guys that they put under me. And, to do right by the city, which I'm going to continue to try and make the city proud," said Stringer.

Caraway and Stringer have worked for the department for a combined 31 years.