JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Jackson police want to deploy school resource officers in the Jackson Public School District (JPS).

Many of the schools in cities surrounding Jackson have active-duty police officers on school grounds. Jackson police want to reintroduce the program back into JPS.

Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade believes putting officers back in the schools can bring real benefits, including teaching students about conflict resolution.

“We get a firsthand opportunity to deter crime in our schools. We’ll have a program built out, a rapid response program that will have in place to deal with incidents that happen within the schools. While these officers are there, they have an opportunity to deal with crisis intervention. They will have an opportunity to build positive relationships with the students in the school. They will have opportunity to have programs that we build out dealing with conflict in the schools, which we know is an issue,” said Wade.

The police chief said it’s been more than 20 years since Jackson police officers were regularly in schools, and he believes the program will work.

The plan is in the early stages, but Wade said the resources that the Jackson Police Department (JPD) would provide for the students could benefit them later in life.

The police chief said JPD and JPS are working on a memorandum of understanding for the program. He will then seek approval from the Jackson City Council and the JPS School Board.