Mounted Patrol Unit would be part of JPD's 'footprint' as CCID is set to expand. See details

Mounted police could be a sight residents will see in downtown Jackson.

At a meeting of the Jackson City Council's Public Safety and Parks Committee, talks were had of bringing back the now defunct patrol unit. Chief of the Jackson Police Department Joseph Wade said he had discussions with officers interested in saddling back up again.

"I know this has been awhile, but is there any vision, any plan talking about the footprint of the CCID, specifically downtown of bringing back mounted units?" Ward 6 Aaron Banks asked Wade during the Thursday meeting.

"Absolutely," Wade said. "We have talked to some officers who are very interested in starting the mounted unit back up. I mean that was a flagship of the Jackson Police Department."

The topic was brought up after council members' spoke with Wade and Capitol Police Chief Bo Luckey about what the future would look like between the two departments. On July 1, Capitol Police's jurisdiction will expand as far north as Northside Drive and as far south as Raymond Road and I-55 South.

Wade made it clear to the council that while Capitol Police will have primary jurisdiction, JPD is still "going to maintain a footprint within the CCID. We're not vacating." The mounted police would be a part of that footprint.

"We've started those conversations. I expect it (mounted police) to be back very soon," Wade said.

In January, Wade announced his department had filled four positions of the newly returned Park Ranger Unit, charged with patrolling the city's 57 parks. It was a goal set by Wade and the council last August as vandalism and theft increased in parks throughout the city.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: JPD's Mounted Patrol Unit could return to downtown Jackson, MS