The following is a joint statement from City of Jackson Mayor Scott Conger and Jackson Police Chief Julian Wiser on what the City of Jackson, Tenn. Police Department is doing to ensure the safety of the citizens of Jackson, Tenn.:
“Safety and protection of our citizens is the number one priority of the police department,” City of Jackson, TN Police Chief Julian Wiser said. “That applies to all, regardless if we are assisting a victim, witness, or suspect. We will continue to build relationships, community partnerships, and being engaged to make Jackson a stronger community.”
The City of Jackson, TN Police Department is listening.
We understand the concerns of all of the citizens as well as those who come to and through our city each day. We want to be clear that we will continue to serve our citizens with professionalism and integrity. In light of current national events regarding law enforcement and the public we want to be proactive in our message to you.
Here are a few steps we have taken to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those we serve:
- The police department has implemented a body camera program over the past 3 years.
- All patrol officers are currently equipped with a body camera or in car video cameras (or both) for the safety and accountability of our officers and citizens.
- Officers are trained in less lethal tactics and equipment (Tasers, chemical agents, etc.) to minimize injury to officers or suspects during combative confrontations.
Our goal is to have every officer go through Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), which teaches de-escalation through verbal communication. We’ve had a large number of our patrol staff already certified in CIT. All our officers have attended mandated training through the State of Tennessee for Just and Fair Policing. All the staff completes online training through V-Academy which offers various law enforcement training to include ethics, community policing and diversity.
One of the most important points, is our department is engaged with community through partnerships with community members/groups on initiatives and programs to support youth, churches, and community. We have also hired Community Outreach Coordinator Yolanda Aguirre.
The Police Department ranks represent and reflects our community. Every recruit hired is instructed to always be professional, polite, and treat everyone with respect regardless of the circumstances.
The safety of the people we serve, as well as our officers, is a top priority. We also have a level of expectation from the public such as obeying the laws set forth to protect you. Crime of any kind by any person will not be tolerated. We want you to look out for each other. If you see a crime being committed or you have information that will help us solve a crime, report it. We are available to you and for you. We want to hear from you. We are here to serve you.
“We are disgusted by the atrocious actions of the officers responsible for the death of George Floyd,” Mayor Scott Conger said. “Behavior, like that, is unacceptable. We diligently work to make certain nothing like this will happen in our city.”