JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Capitol police will expand their jurisdiction within Jackson on Monday, July 1.

The Capitol Complex Improvement District (CCID) expansion will mean a larger police presence in and around the Jackson-metro area. The new boundaries move the district up north to Northside Drive, east to the bank of the Pearl River, west to Ellis Avenue and south down to Interstate 20.

The district also includes three Jackson Public Schools and the Kroger off of Interstate 55.

“It’ll be really almost twice as big as it is now. More rooftops to cover, more businesses to cover, and hopefully again help assist the capital city and it’s public safety efforts as we grow Capitol police and work hand in hand with our partners at JPD and at the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office,” said Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS) Commissioner Sean Tindell.

The collaboration between law enforcement was a concern for many skeptics of this approach. Capitol police will have primary jurisdiction throughout these expanded boundaries.

“This transition is going very well and very smoothly. Really, the politics are best left out of public safety. But it’s always good politics to have good public safety. Working with JPD has been a force multiplier. When we first started this expansion of Capitol police as role, we had about 63 law enforcement officers. We’re now up to 153 law enforcement officers. With this most recent expansion and the funding that’s granted for this fiscal year, we’ll be able to get up to 187. Our goal is to get to 220 to 240 Capitol police officers. And I’m sure Jackson’s goal is to get to, well, over 300. And as we do that, it’s going to improve public safety,” explained Tindell.

With more Capitol police out and about, Tindell hopes residents feel at ease.

“I hope from the citizens perspective, what they see is a greater presence of law enforcement, what they feel is safer neighborhoods and safer businesses,” he said.