Lt. Michael Harvey with the Brookhaven Police Department has been working to keep the streets of his city safe for the past 15 years.

Being a police officer was a dream of his from a very young age. Of course, the reality of being a police officer can be harder than a boy’s dreams, and when dealing with police people often see the badge rather than the person wearing it.

“(People) don’t think of the stress we go through every day,” Harvey said. “We have personal problems like everybody else. We see things out on the streets that we have to keep within ourself.”

But Harvey said he has been able to get to know people on his beat, and keeping them safe keeps him in the job.

“I love it,” Harvey said. “We have good days and bad days, but I enjoy the challenge. I like the idea that people can feel safe. I enjoy the feeling the people have that they can be secure in their own neighborhood. They can walk around town and feel more safe.”

Harvey said he had no trouble fitting in as a police officer in the beginning. Law enforcement is something he was well aquatinted with in his family.

“My father-in-law was in the force, my brother-in-law was in the force and my uncle-in-law was in the force,” Harvey said. “I had a brother that used to be a captain of police in Jackson. I have a brother retired from the CIA. He served 20 years.”

Harvey is originally from Mayersville in Issaquena County. But his mother’s family lived in Brookhaven and Lincoln County. After moving here 35 years ago, Harvey said he’s found an even larger family in Brookhaven.

“The people, we all feel like we’re more family,” Harvey said. “We have our differences, but we’re still family. We pull together when a crisis comes.”