Jackson Police Department will hold a Clergy Town Hall on Thursday in order to brainstorm with local pastors on how to address issues facing the community.
A release from JPD said the town hall is not simply to have another conversation about problems, but to come up with actionable steps to address them.
JPD’s Command Staff will sit down with Church leaders to talk about working collaboratively, using the acronym “SMART” (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-based) to describe goals they will set to facilitate positive change for the betterment of the community.
Working with the church community has proven successful in the past, even for a short time under the Metro Area Crime Eradication (MACE) Program introduced by then-Chief Deputy Chris Picou and others during the Tyrone Lewis administration. That program was based on one out of Baton Rouge called “BRAVE” (Baton Rouge Area Violence Eradication) that brought leaders of churches, community organizations, law enforcement, and even gangs to the table to agree on strategies and cease-fire measures. In parts of Baton Rouge, it had reduced crime as much as 85%.
During the implementation of MACE, crime was markedly down in Precinct 3 before the program went by the wayside when Lewis was beaten in the next sheriff’s election.
