JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – Crime in Jackson is a major issue, but officials with the Jackson Police Department (JPD) are working to combat it.
On Friday, two new officers joined the ranks of JPD. With 266 officers, Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade believes this is just the beginning of curbing crime.
On Wednesday, the city saw four homicides less than a month into the new year. Wade said resources are necessary to make progress.
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“We have to work in lockstep with the community. We have to work in lockstep with the criminal justice system. I have a great rapport with the judges, the prosecutors, the district attorney, the Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Attorney. We have to utilize all the resources that we have to get this under control. But there is no one thing because there is no one cause, like someone told me a long time ago. There is no simple answer to a complex matter, and crime is a complex matter,” Wade stated.
His goal is to have 275 officers on the police force. A new class of officers will be sworn-in next month.