The Mississippi governor has enacted ‘Operation Unified,’ a large-scale collaboration among local, state, and federal agencies to get criminals out of the state capital.
“Your time here is over,” Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said in the press conference, addressing Jackson’s criminals. “You don’t run this city, and you are not immune to the law. We will not surrender our streets to you, and we will never–and I mean never–rest until you are behind bars. Your partners in crime are getting caught, one by one. And I promise you this: all those who prey upon the residents of Jackson and our great state will be caught, and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Law and order will win the day here, and you will be brought to justice.”
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (MDPS), the Office of Homeland Security, the Jackson Police Department (JPD), the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office are among the multiple law enforcement agencies involved in the operation that began in January.
“Despite the vast positives that Jackson has to offer, there’s no doubt that like many other cities around the country, we continue to grapple with a crime problem,” Gov. Reeves said. “Jackson has the highest homicide rate of any major city in our nation.”
MDPS Commissioner Sean Tindell said the operation creates tighter communication between agencies in an effort to “dismantle criminal networks.”
“We will utilize all branches of our law enforcement resources to ensure that every avenue of accountability is pursued and these criminals are held accountable,” Mr. Tindell said. “Operation Unified should not be seen as a short-term initiative, but rather a part of a broader commitment to maintaining public safety.”
The crime incentive follows the governor’s signed House Bill 1020 in April 2023, a bill that increased funding and expanded the jurisdiction for the Capitol Police while setting up a municipal court to hear cases in the Capitol Complex Improvement District, the 17.5 square mile area surrounding the Capitol building.
The independent, state-controlled judicial system will rely on judges who are not elected but appointed by Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Michael Randolph.
Opponents of the legislation, such as Jackson Mayor Chokwee Lumumba, called the bill “some of the most oppressive legislation in our city’s history” because it “strips the rights of black folks to vote” while putting a “military force over the people that has no accountability over them.”
Mayor Lumumba supported the new crime incentive, appearing at the press conference to speak on its behalf.
“This is an opportunity to demonstrate one of the most shining examples of operational unity, meaning that we’re focusing more on our common ends and objectives than any difference that we have,” he said.
‘A Very Violent Month’
According to the Clarion Ledger, Jackson has seen 12 homicides in January, four of which were committed on the same day.“The 12 homicides are not a representation of the good people that live, work, and go to school here in the city of Jackson,” Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade told the Clarion Ledger. “It is not a representation of the hard work that the men and women of JPD are doing, but it is a representation that there is more work to be done.”
At this rate, the media publication reported that by the end of 2024, there could be an average of 100 homicides for the fourth year in a row.
Chief Wade spoke at the conference, admitting that “January was a very violent month.”
“That violence does not represent the good, hardworking people that live in the city of Jackson,” Chief Wade said.
Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens said there’s been progress, but there’s still much more work to be done.
“The citizens in Jackson should not ever have to deal with repeat offenders terrorizing our communities,” he said. “When you break the law in Hinds County, you will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and you will spend decades in prison.”
‘Already Seeing Results’
Mr. Tindoll said the strategy is to “set saturation in certain areas” to establish more of a presence in the city, not just in large task force units but also through undercover operations.Saturation task force operations aren’t unique to Jackson, Mr. Tindoll said.
“But obviously there’s a demand and a need here in the capital city, and we want to make sure that we have a strong presence and an increase in federal agents on the ground on a regular basis,” he said.
It won’t be overnight progress, Gov. Reeves said.
“But if we can get one criminal off the streets today, and get back up tomorrow to try to get another off the street, it makes everyone safer,” he said. “And so when you talk about when we start seeing results, we’re already seeing results.”
