Mayor encourages the State to address the root cause of the problem.
Governor Tate Reeves and Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell announced a plan on Wednesday announced to increase the presence of state troopers and Capitol Police around Jackson.
Governor Reeves stated that in the city of Jackson there is a never ending circle of violent crime but this does not reflect “who we are as a city or state.” Through the initiative, both Commissioner Tindell and Governor Reeves believe that the city is taking steps towards effectively protect the residents of and visitors to Jackson.
“To have a safe Jackson, we have to have a safe downtown,” Reeves said. He said that starting yesterday, state agencies will begin the saturation in the capital city.
“This won’t solve all the crime, but it’s a step in the right direction,” the Governor noted.
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued a statement about the public safety initiative on Thursday, saying the state should do more to address the root causes of crime and provide adequate funding for systemic issues.
“The state has failed to provide adequate funding in this regard,” Lumumba said. “In order to realize true impact, it is necessary to also stand up and bolster the social supports and community programs that lift up our communities by addressing issues of poverty, joblessness, mental health, gaps in education and opportunity and more.”
Lumumba said that in order to address the root of the problem, we must apply the same effort towards authoring solutions.
The full statement from Mayor Lumumba is below:
We are pleased to see within the plan shared today that the State of Mississippi and Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is moving towards the transparency that we identified as an urgent need when the City of Jackson created the Police Identification Task Force. That said, the problem of crime is not going to be solved through policing alone.
The State’s efforts to better streamline its law enforcement agencies and bolster communication in and around the Capitol City Complex and State highways is within its jurisdiction. The City and Jackson Police Department welcome the commitment to greater collaboration and support. However, we must also apply the same effort toward authoring solutions that address the root of the problem. The State has failed to provide adequate funding in this regard. In order to realize true impact, it is necessary to also stand up and bolster the social supports and community programs that lift up our communities by addressing issues of poverty, joblessness, mental health, gaps in education and opportunity and more.
Anne Summerhays
