Jackson Police Department (Mississippi)

The Jackson Police Department provides law enforcement services to approximately 185,000 citizens encompassing 122 square miles (320 km2) of Jackson, Mississippi, United States. JPD is composed of approximately 430 sworn officers who are supported by over 250 civilian personnel.

Jackson Police Department
Jackson Police Patch
AbbreviationJPD
Agency overview
Formed1822
Employees680
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionMississippi, United States
Map of Jackson Police Department's Jurisdiction.
Size122 sq mi (320 km2)
Population185,000
Legal jurisdictionJackson, Mississippi, U.S.
Governing bodyJackson, Mississippi
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters327 East Pascagoula Street
Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
Police Officers340
Unsworn members250
Agency executive
Facilities
Precincts4
Jails1
Website
Jackson Police website

Brief history


The Jackson Police Department was established in 1822.

An ordinance dated January 1864 set a policeman's wages at $40.00 per month, with the exception of the city marshal, who received half the fee paid by each person put in jail. Off-duty police officers took the ferry below LeFleur's Bluff across the Pearl River into what is now Rankin County to bring back firewood to sell.

Eventually, pay was raised to $60.00 per month for men working twelve-hour shifts, seven days a week. There were no holidays, vacation days or days off.

1873 marked the appearance of the first uniformed police officers with caps, badges, and batons. 1878 marked the turning point of specialized police services, when the first police detective was appointed. In 1901, "patrol" became a rank, and men were hired for that position. In 1909, "desk sergeants" were appointed, along with mounted police, and detectives wore plain clothes for the first time. In 1917, greatly expanded specialized bureaus and divisions were formed. Early police communications were strictly one-way. The transmitter and radio operator were located at City Hall with the call letters WAMK. Officers had to depend on "call boxes" located on light poles in the downtown area to reply. It was 1952 when the department occupied a modern headquarters building at 327 East Pascagoula Street. This allowed the Jackson Police Department to operate both a municipal court and jail from one location.

The Police Training Academy was constructed in 1965 to consolidate instruction and training of personnel. The pistol range, included as a part of the training academy, was built on East McDowell Road. In 1972, the first female officer was sworn in. In 1978, the city's growth prompted the police department to move to the precinct system.

There are now four precincts. In 1979, officers were provided with individual walkie-talkies which gave them an emergency distress button. In 1983, the size of the department grew to over 400 sworn police officers. In 2005, Shirlene Anderson was sworn in as the first female Chief of police.

Rank Structure

Title Insignia
Chief of Police
Assistant Chief
Deputy Chief
Commander
Lieutenant
Sergeant
Detective
Officer

Fallen officers

Name Date Notes
Cliff Hines 14 January 1893 Gunshot
Walker Guice 14 January 1893 Gunshot
James Redmond 1 February 1902 Gunshot
Wilburn Burleson 10 March 1961 Motorcycle accident
Charles Ray Buckley 14 March 1965 Gunshot
William Louis Skinner 19 August 1971 Gunshot
Floyd Seaton 23 May 1979 Automobile accident
William Hickman 13 April 1981 Gunshot
Bobby Joe Biggert 24 February 1989 Gunshot
Rickey Joe Simmons 4 February 1992 Gunshot
Nathan Williams 31 January 1993 Gunshot
John Reid Sandifer 18 September 1994 Motorcycle accident
Robert J Washington, Senior 15 November 1995 Gunshot
Brian Ronald Kinsey 22 October 1997 Gunshot
Thomas Drumane Catchings 17 March 2005 Gunshot
Glenn Victor Agee 6 August 2010 Gunshot
Eric Tyrone Smith 4 April 2013 Gunshot
Bruce Jacob 20 July 2013 Motor Vehicle Collision

[1]

See also

References

  1. Officer Down Memorial Page, retrieved 7 September 2012

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