The Mississippi Senate has confirmed a former judge, Sean Tindell, as the state's new public safety commissioner. Photo courtesy State of Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi Senate has confirmed a former judge as the state's new public safety commissioner.

Republican Gov. Tate Reeves nominated Sean Tindell of Gulfport to be commissioner last month. Tindell has been serving since June 1, and senators confirmed him to the job Thursday.

The commissioner is the head of the Department of Public Safety, which includes the Highway Patrol, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.

The department also handles driver’s license services. Tindell has said one of his priorities is fixing problems at licensing stations, where long lines have been common for years.

Tindell started serving as a Republican in the state Senate in 2012. He was appointed to the Mississippi Court of Appeals in 2017 by then-Gov. Phil Bryant.

Before serving in the Senate, Tindell was an assistant district attorney for Hancock, Harrison and Stone counties. He also worked as a city prosecutor in Biloxi.