CITY OF JACKSON SELECTED FOR MODEL CITIES INITIATIVE; ANNOUNCES PUBLIC SAFETY INVESTMENT TO BECOME “THE CITY THAT RESPONDS BEFORE IT ARRIVES”

JACKSON, MS — The City of Jackson and the Jackson Police Department (JPD) have been selected by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to participate in the Model Cities Initiative (MCI). This selection brings a substantive federal investment over the next three years to implement a data-driven public safety infrastructure designed to position Jackson as “the City that Responds Before it Arrives.”

This comprehensive strategy addresses public safety by systematically modernizing infrastructure and addressing the underlying conditions that impact neighborhood stability. Rather than expanding a traditional policing footprint, this initiative pivots Jackson toward a proactive, intelligence-led safety model. The funding is structured to optimize existing resources, fusing advanced forensics, data-driven technology, workforce stabilization, and local community partnerships into a preventative network.

Leadership on the Vision for Jackson

“Reducing violent crime requires a unified effort across every sector of our city,” said Mayor John Horhn. “The Model Cities Initiative provides an opportunity to bring our departments, public safety partners, and community organizations together around a common goal: making our neighborhoods safer and improving the quality of life for all residents. We are committed to ensuring that our collective efforts are coordinated, focused, and responsive to the needs of our communities.”

Jackson’s participation is focused on preventing violent crime, strengthening local public safety infrastructure, and supporting neighborhood stability. This investment is intended to strengthen the City’s capacity to serve its residents, not to broaden the scope of federal enforcement in our communities. Implementation will remain centered on these defined public safety goals, with an emphasis on community trust and the safety of every resident.

“Public safety requires us to do more than respond to crime after it occurs,” said Chief of Police Dr. RaShall Brackney. “We must take a comprehensive approach that addresses the conditions that allow crime to exist while strengthening prevention, intervention, and accountability. The MCI approach gives us an opportunity to work across city government and alongside our community partners to reduce violent crime through coordinated, sustained efforts that produce meaningful results for the people we serve. This initiative focuses on building a modern public safety architecture that protects every resident, moving us toward a proactive, system-wide approach—equipping Jackson with the workforce, infrastructure, and technology required to intercept violence and improve community outcomes.”

Operational Infrastructure Upgrades

A cornerstone of this transformation is a comprehensive infrastructure plan designed to address critical operational gaps across the city:

• Jackson Public Safety Forensic, Intelligence, and Justice Center: The city will establish a modern forensic laboratory to replace its severely deteriorated facility. This new local center will build the capacity for rapid DNA, ballistic, and trace evidence analysis, reducing reliance on backlogged state resources and converting evidence into immediate, actionable data.
• Infrastructure & Systems that Work: The initiative fully integrates Jackson’s existing Real-Time Command Center (RTCC), gunshot-detection arrays, and advanced ballistics imaging into a single, cohesive network. This system will directly target high-risk areas to swiftly disrupt gun violence before it spreads.
• A Sustainable Public Safety Workforce: Funding will be deployed to address critical sworn officer vacancies by offering competitive compensation to recruit and retain top talent, while modernizing civilian professional staff roles in intelligence, dispatch, and technical analysis.
• Root-Cause Interventions: The initiative addresses neighborhood conditions by balancing technology with critical support systems, including behavioral health crisis networks, victim advocacy, and holistic reentry programs.

Driven by Results

While national discussions often focus heavily on Jackson’s challenges with neighborhood blight and historical crime statistics, the City’s recent trajectory proves that targeted, intelligence-led strategies yield real results. The Model Cities Initiative provides the foundational infrastructure needed to secure and accelerate these safety gains. By combining advanced forensic science, community-based support, and modernized infrastructure, Jackson is stepping forward as a practical, resilient, and safe model for mid-sized cities nationwide—to become “The City That Responds Before it Arrives.”

About the Model Cities Initiative

The Department of Justice Model Cities Initiative provides targeted funding and strategic capacity support to select mid-sized American cities. The program designs, implements, and evaluates scalable, data-driven public safety systems that reduce violent crime while strengthening local community infrastructure.