Officials defend Mississippi Capitol Police chase

Mr. Jackson. – Amid backlash over the deadly shooting of a Mississippi man, the state’s top law enforcement official said state police in the state capital, Jackson, would not change the way they track suspects.

Mississippi Department of Public Safety Director Sean Tindell said the community has been affected by recent series of shootings involving the Capitol Police, a unit that patrols around state government buildings and other areas near downtown Jackson. I met with a member.

“Whenever a life is lost, it’s a tragedy,” Tinder said at a church in Jackson Thursday night. You can not.”

Jalen Lewis, 25, was shot Sunday night during an encounter with police officers at the Capitol. he died laterOfficers attempted to initiate a traffic stop when the shooting occurred, according to the Department of Public Security. Officers involved on leave Until an internal investigation is completed, a department spokeswoman said.

Another division of the Department of Public Safety, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, is investigating.

At a community meeting hosted by Jackson City Councilman Kenneth Stokes, Tindell vowed that Capitol Police “villains” would be held accountable. He also said Jackson was “unaccustomed to policing” and had a “criminal element.”

“Don’t sit here complaining about crime and death and murder and children killing children and telling me you respect law enforcement because it’s not. is.

A woman who lost her son four months ago. She said that “arresting and killing” people should not be the only way to prevent crime.

“There’s not much to do in Jackson. A lot of people are missing,” said the woman, who declined to be named when she spoke at the meeting.

Stokes said some voters fear that some Capitol police officers may not be trained “on how to deal with black people in black neighborhoods.”

“How can we stop the murders?” Stokes asked.

About 80% of Jackson’s residents are black. The Public Safety Commissioner and the police chief of the Capitol are white.

Tinder said Capitol Police could better connect with residents. He also said police officers cannot defuse tensions with people through police work alone.

“One thing we see over and over again is a lack of accountability, especially among unsupervised youth,” Tinder said. ”

Before Sunday’s shootings, Capitol police officers were involved in one shooting on August 14th and another on September 12th. On Sept. 7, a man being chased by Capitol Police died in a car crash.

Responding to questions about recent altercations between citizens and officers, Capitol Police Chief Beau Lackey said his officers had changed tactics.

“The way we police this area is not the same as it used to be,” Lucky said.

Lucky said Capitol Police had made nearly 100 arrests since he took office in late May, a “tremendous number of arrests for any agency.” He said the arrests were largely due to more “aggressive policing”, including more frequent patrols of the area and a police presence.

Police chases have been deadly in and around Jackson: In July, officers from another department chased someone into Jackson from the suburbs.The chase ended in disaster killed the postman embroiled in a dispute. According to Lucky, Jackson has a number of stolen cars that require a chase.

“If you get the tag and run it later, nothing will happen. Surveillance cameras are useless,” Lucky said.

Tinder said the rise in crime in Jackson has necessitated a new approach to policing for Capitol Police.

“I have news for you,” said Tinder. And we’re here for the long term trying to regain the confidence to turn it around. “

David Archie, a member of the Hines County Board of Supervisors, said the recent incident between Capitol Police and the people of Jackson calls for more community involvement.

“If you’re going to join this community, please don’t join this community like you have all the answers,” said Archie.

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Michael Goldberg is a member of the Associated Press/Reports for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to cover hidden issues. Follow him on Twitter. twitter.com/mikergoldberg.