Clinton1121web

NICOLE SCHULER
Clinton Author
Thomas
R. Ruffin
compared life as a poet
to selling peanuts on
the side of a highway.
“You meet a lot of
interesting people,
but you don’t make
any money!” he said.
Born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the self-published author
moved to Clinton when he was four years old. He proudly
proclaims himself a Clinton native. Ruffin has five children
and has been married to his wife, Stacey, for almost 30 years.
Ruffin discovered his aptitude for writing while he was
in high school. “One day, I was writing in the study hall when
a teacher approached me and asked what I was writing,” he
said. “I was nervous to hand her the paper, but she read it.
When she was done, she said, ‘That’s good. Keep going!’”
This short encounter is what encouraged him to keep writing,
and he never stopped.
Thomas R. Ruffin has quite an impressive professional
background. Ruffin earned an Associate in Applied Science
from Hinds Community College, a Bachelor of Science in
psychology from Mississippi College, and a Master of Social
Science in administration of justice from Mississippi College.
He was also an adjunct professor at Mississippi College,
teaching in the department of history and political science.
Prior to becoming a professor, Ruffin served as a military
policeman in Germany. He was assigned to a drug
suppression team under the command of the criminal
investigation division. He primarily worked in a covert
capacity, gathering intelligence on the drug trafficking
organizations operating throughout Europe.
Apart from serving as an undercover investigator for
the armed forces, he also spent some time in the Federal
Bureau of Investigation. Upon completing his training at
the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, Ruffin served as a
negotiator on the crisis negotiation team. Following Ruffin’s
military and FBI career, he worked at the Clinton Police
Department as a patrol officer, lieutenant detective, and
special operations group commander. He medically retired
from the Clinton PD in 2007, after being diagnosed with
Parkinson’s disease in October of 2001.
Hometown CLINTON • 15