JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS) created a new Cyber Unit within the department. Commissioner Sean Tindell announced the unit will be lead by Bobby Freeman, who was appointed as its first director.

“I am looking forward to serving the people of Mississippi as the Cyber Director for the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security and working with local, state, and federal partners to enhance the cybersecurity capabilities of our community to combat the threats that exist within the cyber domain,” said Freeman.

The Mississippi Cyber Unit – a component of the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security – will be the state’s centralized cybersecurity threat information, mitigation, and incident reporting and response center. This unit will be made up of specialists who focus on preparedness and response.

The strategic plan for the Mississippi Cyber Unit will be focused on monitoring and identifying threats to Mississippi networks, sharing real-time threat intelligence, and providing support to cyber incidents within the state.

“We are very pleased with the new launch of our cybersecurity unit and the appointment of Bobby Freeman as director,” said Tindell. “This new addition to the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security and under the leadership of Director Freeman, the cybersecurity unit will continue to enhance partnerships with state, local, and federal personnel to support the mission of protecting the citizens and resources of our state from cyber threats.”

Prior to joining the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security, Freeman served full-time as the Cyber Operations Officer for the Mississippi Army National Guard.