JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – One year ago, Joseph Wade was sworn in as the chief of the Jackson Police Department (JPD).
Wade wants the citizens of Jackson to know that he’s working day and night to improve the quality of living in the capital city.
“We’ve come a long way. But brother, we’ve got a long way to go. I wish I could tell you that there’s light at the end of the tunnel, but right now, I can’t see the tunnel. I can’t see the tunnel. So, I understand there’s more work to be done, but I can’t do it alone,” he said.
Police retention, collaborating with other law enforcement agencies and building better relationships with judges, prosecutors and the community have been top priorities for Wade in his first year as chief.
It’s not been an easy year, and Wade wants criminals who commit violent acts in the City of Jackson to sit behind bars for a long time.
“I understand that bail and bond is not designed to be punitive, but we’ve got to send a message out. We’ve got to send a message. When you go to these other communities, and you commit a crime, you hear these things, $1,000,000 bond or no bond, but you may hear the same offense that happens or transpires here in the City of Jackson, where there’s a $20,000 bond or $10,000 bond. Your life and your property means just as much in the City of Jackson as it does in Madison, Rankin, warren or other parts of Hinds County,” stated Wade.
A strong community relationship is something Wade prides himself on, whether its listening to the issues the neighborhoods are reporting or talking to families after a loved one has been killed by gun violence in Jackson.
“The community had drawn a line in the sand and, said, ‘We’re tired of this foolishness. We’re tired of this chaos,’ and they are helping us. We’re soliciting their help, and they are helping us, giving us information because they hear me, and they understand they could be this family today. It could be my family tomorrow. We’ve got to hold these individuals accountable for gun violence in our community, for pillaging in our community. And the citizens have been wonderful. And they’re the reason I’m the chief,” said Wade.
When it comes to isolating crime in the capital city, the police chief doesn’t want to adopt the pattern of pushing crime to one certain area in the city.
“We don’t want it over here, so we’re going to push it into these other neighborhoods. That is so unfair to the people who live in those communities. They deserve the same quality of life. They deserve the same law enforcement patrol in that area, putting the emphasis on what’s happening in their community. So, I’m not for pushing crime,” he said.
As he starts year two on the job, Wade wants to continue to push JPD to be one of the top law enforcement agencies in the state. He also wants to increase the number of officers in the streets, while also paying them what they deserve.