Jackson Free Press

Major crimes in Jackson decreased again last week, according to statistics released this morning at a Jackson Police Department meeting. Officers reported 154 property crimes, down from 226 the week before, and 32 violent crimes, up slightly from 25 the previous week. For the year to date, violent crime is down 10.1 percent from 2008, while property crimes are up 1.1 percent over last year.

Officers reported dramatic decreases in house burglaries and auto burglaries in every precinct except for northwest Jackson's Precinct 3. For the year, both categories have seen increases of more than 5 percent over last year's figures.

Jackson's murder rate is also down 62 percent this year, from 60 murders at this time in 2008 to 37 this year.

At today's meeting, Commander Rick Seavey, head of JPD's Communications Department, also told command staff to expect a switch to 911 Phase 2 technology around December 10. The new technology, which JPD acquired with federal grant money, will allow 911 operators to map the location of callers using cell phones.

Previous Comments

ID

153323

Comment

Can anyone offer an explanation for this dramatic turnaround? Obviously, the slight increase in property crimes is disappointing, but the sharp reduction in violent crime--especially murder--should make us all rejoice. There is no question that Frank Melton was an unmitigated disaster for law enforcement in Jackson. JPD was in turmoil throughout his tenure, and he disbanded programs that were proven effective, such as ComStat. We also know that Johnson has a convincing track record on fighting crime, which fell steadily during his earlier administrations. All of that said, can anyone explain why we're seeing such a dramatic turnaround?

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2009-11-13T08:55:00-06:00

ID

153324

Comment

Brian, murders had dropped in Jackson for years, and then spiked with Melton as mayor, and now are dropping off again. There seems to have been high stress in certain segments of Jackson during his tenure; as you know, he had a way of being quite divisive on the "streets" and pitting people against each other. I believe that had an effect on both violent crime and the murder rate. Also, as we have long pointed out, the whole political shtick about the Johnson administration doctoring stats didn't even work on the surface when it came to murders. The proof is in the numbers, as they say. Jackson is becoming a different place fast. And you wouldn't believe how many people (and media) the failed Melton administration shut up or helped change their run. They were so pathetically wrong that it's not even funny, as we worked so hard to tell everyone all the way through. And everyone knows it now. It's great to watch now, even as it was tragic to have to have four years of Melton to get here. Now, we still have a serious problem on our hands, and another one we predicted: the DA's office.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-11-13T09:02:03-06:00

ID

153325

Comment

It's also funny (and annoying) to watch the Ledger now try to scramble to catch up, crowing all over the city's progress, even as it did everything it could all these years to talk the city down, and not report what people needed to know (because, you know, people didn't want to hear it). The paper's credibility is in the toilet, and they seem to be trying to get some sort of support back by now getting all giddy over the progress they tried to help hold back. Remember Agnew et al's crowing over crime being the No. 1 issue -- how the redevelopment of Jackson couldn't happen until all the crime was fixed? They have egg dripping from behind their ears at this point. They have been so, so bad for this city. Now, it seems, people just don't pay them any mind anymore -- except all the racists that are giving their Web site page views because the Ledger can't figure out how to moderate its comments in a civil way. One of their perspective editors even admitted that at a forum Wednesday, but didn't exactly say he was going to stomp back to Congress Street and change the way they do comments. They probably don't even have the power to change it -- it's a missive from Virginia: get all the page views you can, by any means necessary. Meantime, their ugly forums and comments are the *only* thing I ever hear people say about the Ledger any more. That's not something to be known for.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-11-13T09:08:26-06:00

ID

153332

Comment

Ain't it something how the Ledge is quick to put up the latest crime story in Jackson, but when it comes to reporting stats of crime dropping, they're nowhere to be found. Why don't they just move their operations to the suburbs if they hate Jackson that much?

Author

golden eagle

Date

2009-11-13T13:25:54-06:00

ID

153334

Comment

Based on the comments on the CL's web site, most of their readers do not live in the city. They championed Melton for "getting tough on crime" even though crime rates soared during his administration. Many of them are unapologetic racists who just wanted someone to show the "thugs" in Jackson who is boss, namely white suburbanites. They are completely immune to facts, which are that crime fell for many years before Melton took office, rose dramatically while he was in office, and is falling again now that he has left office. The CL gets the readers it deserves.

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2009-11-13T14:29:54-06:00