Jackson Free Press

March 2, 2005

Jackson city politics is starting to become a new outlet of expression for former television news executives and directors. Frank Melton—the former owner of WLBT Channel 3 and then its "Bottom Line" man—has announced his candidacy for mayor (a number of times) on the Democratic ticket. Now former WAPT Channel 16 Sports Director Rick Whitlow, 51, is putting in his bid for mayor as well.

Roderick Reynolds Whitlow announced his candidacy Monday at America's Diner on the I-55 Frontage Road. "As you know, we are officially starting our campaign for mayor today. I could have chosen to stay in the warm, predictable confines of a TV studio, but instead I have chosen to serve in the unpredictable world of politics," he said.

Actually, Whitlow is currently the media spokesman for the Mississippi Department of Human Services.

A native of Michigan City, Ind., Whitlow first started gaining public recognition as an All American basketball player for Illinois State University. From there he was drafted by the Houston Rockets but chose to finish school instead. Soon after, he started his career in broadcasting, which eventually lead him to Jackson to work for Channel 16. He has been here for 20 years.

Before his current position at DHS, Whitlow was most recently the executive director of the Metro Crime Commission-SafeCity Watch, a short-lived group formed in 2003 by opponents of Mayor Harvey Johnson and Police Chief Robert Moore. As head of that group, Whitlow was often heard from in news reports as opposition to the mayor and police chief on crime.

Even though the group was not together long, Whitlow said that job helped him get involved with the Jackson community more closely. "I want to let people know how serious I am about this crisis of crime we face. And I don't think crisis is too strong of a word to use. I believe very strongly that before we can begin doing anything we have to deal with the crime issue," he said.

A good portion of Whitlow's speech concentrated on complaints about the Harvey Johnson administration—and he mentioned "crime" and "leadership" about as often as Frank Melton does. "Our current administration has the mentality that they are building first and dealing with everything else later," he said. "We have to deal with crime first and foremost. That might require personnel changes. I will have the courage to do that."

Whitlow said building up downtown will not be effective unless crime is addressed first. "I have said many times in the past couple of years," he said, "it does not matter what it is you build downtown, what it is you talk about building downtown, what you promise to build downtown, if the business community does not have faith in the leadership of this city, then it will not work."

For the city's part, it is reporting a 21 percent drop in crime for 2004 over 2003, and the lowest major crime rates in 24 years. The crime statistics show very low crime for the downtown area.

On Monday Whitlow bashed Johnson and Moore's five-point community-policing crime plan to which they attribute much of the recent drops in major crime in Jackson. Whitlow said: "I am going to be more aggressive than a five-point plan. When I looked at it a year or so ago, it was generic. You could plug it into any business situation. At the time I called it a publicity stunt, and I will call it a publicity stunt now."

The Republican candidate's "more aggressive plan" for the city has six points. He wants to reduce crime, improve economic development and education, start a "Healthy Jackson Initiative," improve handicap accessibility and work toward racial reconciliation. Whitlow said that he would give more detailed policy and procedures at a later date.

Whitlow wants to strengthen communication between the Jackson Police Department and other law enforcement in the surrounding areas. "This not just a Jackson problem. Crime does not respect boundaries,"he said. "We have seen in the paper where the different law enforcement agencies don't communicate. We have to do things to pull the entire metro area together."

Whitlow says problems in Jackson are not going to be easily corrected—but he has the answer. "When I get a elected, I will not walk around with a magical wand fixing everything. If I could do that, then I can stop right now and accept my Nobel Peace Prize. But with cooperation, communication we can move this city forward," he said.
Finally, he said he will "run like the dickens! We are in this to win it!"