It was a tale of two town halls as Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes discussed a recent Capitol Police shooting at their own forums last week. Although the subject was the same, the approach could not have been more different as one leader engaged while the other attacked.
Mr. Stokes held a community forum at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church Thursday night to discuss the role of the Capitol Police in Jackson. DPS Commissioner Sean Tindell, Capitol Police Chief Bo Luckey, and DPS Deputy Commissioner of Operations Keith Davis appeared at Mr. Stokes's invitation. Sheriff Tyree Jones, County Attorney Gerald Mumford, and Precinct 3 Commander Christian Vance addressed the crowd as well.
Wearing his trademark hat, a soft-spoken but serious Kenneth Stokes told the audience the Capitol Police are "real police." "We've got to talk to each other to be sure we are on the same page," said Mr. Stokes. He said there were over 90 murders in Jackson this year but "let's face it, most of them look like us." He said he was willing to take help from the National Guard or the U.S. Army if it would reduce crime.
Commissioner Tindell spoke first (13:15) as he said the Capitol Police's role is to make Jackson a safer place. He said his officers were going to hold criminals accountable. There is a segment of the population that has not "been policed." They are used to breaking the law with impunity whether it be traffic violations or more serious crimes. Several people asked if the officers were adequately trained. The Commissioner said the officers on patrol duty all graduated from a law enforcement academy.
Chief Luckey told the Jacksonians "you are the backbone of our job." He said his officers have arrested nearly 100 suspects since he became Chief. He said many of the arrests "stemmed from pro-active policing." His officers will not "turn a blind eye" if they witness a crime. He said Capitol Police will chase suspects but not do so recklessly. The Commissioner said he is looking at using drones and helicopters to mitigate risk. He said cameras are nice but criminals don't wear name tags.
Once the speeches concluded, the Q & A began. The questions were serious as were the answers. It was an adult discussion, a perfect example of what representative government should be.
The meeting was a stark contrast to Mayor Lumumba's Tuesday night town hall when the subject of the Capitol Police arose.
The town hall was held at New Jerusalem Church in South Jackson. Pastor Dewayne Pickett addressed the Capitol Police shooting of 25 year-old Jaylen Lewis on September 25 (35:00). Pastor Pickett said "he was shot in the head by the Capitol Police Department." He was a "very close friend" of one of the Pastor's sons. He said the police "shot indiscriminately into the car" and "waited days to release information" about the shooting. Pastor Pickett questioned whether MBI would conduct an impartial investigation since it is a sister agency of the Capitol Police under the Department of Public Safety umbrella. "That could have been my son or my daughter in that car," said the minister.
Pastor Pickett said the Capitol Police is made up of "cowboys from Rankin County" and officers rejected by other departments, and this is a vigilante group. It is open season on our people." Warmed up, he said "they are controlled by the same Governor who says he hates Jackson." "If they did it to him, they will do it to one of us," concluded the pastor.
The mayor picked up where his friend left off (40:15). He said he understood why people were emotional about "the tragedy." Mayor Lumumba said JPD is accountable to elected officials while the Capitol Police is accountable to no one. He accused the media of failing to investigate the Capitol Police. He tied in the Capitol Police to the 1% Sales Tax Commission and so-called efforts to privatize the water system, accusing the state of trying to run Jackson. He said several bad apples who were at JPD are now patrolling "your streets" for the Capitol Police. They "have the ability to pull a gun, and the ability to do these things," said Mayor Lumumba as he used it to justify his opposition to the creation of the CCID.
The meetings could not have been more different as one leader held a serious discussion with the Capitol Police while the other leader and his crony whipped up the crowd against the same police. Not a word was said about Jackson's record numbers of homicides over the last two years. It was all about turf. One leader somberly discussed crime while the other raged about control. One sought a solution while the other played politics.
45 comments:
Hey Hey Ho Ho, Chockwe's Got To Go
So many stupid people and grifters. Jackson is lost.
Just like I said on my show the day after this story blew up, Pickett and Antar would love nothing more than to have a "Jacktown George Floyd" on their hands. Anything to take the attention off their own failures
That is just scary the contrast of those two conversations
I never thought I would live to see the day where I would support Stokes for Mayor. He truly is the only voice of reason in the Jackson City Government. One may not like him, but at least he can carry on a serious conversation without ranting and raving like the incumbent "mayor".
I never thought I would agree with Stokes on anything, but lately he seems to be saying and doing the right thing.
STOKES FOR MAYOR
And please start selling the hats online.
It's a great day, as always, to not live in a city with a mayor like this one.
Great post Kingfish!
very interesting!!!
the city of Jackson annexed South Jackson, against the will of the people ( the area of Forest Hill High School, Woodville Heights, Oak Forest etc., parts of Byram, including all areas of the annexation) around the year 1975, and was the initial beginning of today's situation. Numerous petition drives took place among South Jackson citizens, somewhat successful - I'm not sure what happened with the efforts. there were so many properties not in subdivisions, and on private lots, etc., and physically obtaining signatures wasn't easy--and frankly impossible. The city of Jackson knew it wasn't possible for the opposing citizens to obtain enough signatures and took advantage.
South Jackson grew tremendously in population and land purchases after WWII. Returning servicemen and young adults, especially those in surrounding counties of Jackson wanted to establish themselves and start families in the area- and buy a home with space for a garden , etc. The community and schools were very successful . Jackson was envious and decided to annex.
One black man is concerned about his constituents and crime. The other is Mayor.
Shenanigans Mr. Pickett are Not from leaders exploring all revenues to fix the COJ, the shenanigans are from the hatred being spewed sawing this is racial!
Mayor Stokes.
Both Pickett and the Mayor will not tell the people the truth. It’s always someone else fault. I lived in Jackson all my life as my other friends for over 60 years. None of us has been arrested or harassed by the police.
Mr Mayor and Pastor Pickett no one is picking on these young men. They are just criminally inclined and come across the police radar! You are the leaders, why don’t you tell them the truth! Stop blaming Law Enforcement when they do their Jobs! You and the good pastor don’t even live in the infested areas of Jackson. So you just give lip service. You don’t care!
The Mayor and Pastor Pickett just need to go away because you really don’t care, just want to cause confusion amongst the people that don’t know better.
To the Capital Police, continue to do your jobs! To JPD, I just don’t know what to tell y’all just keep getting those High Four and wait for an opening at the Capital Police. You will be respected then.
What do we want?
A new mayor!
When do we want it?
Now!
Never thought I would agree, but I would vote Stokes for mayor. He's seemed to have calmed down over the years.
Stokes would be OK as a member of a committee, but only if he could be limited to 2 minutes at a time, and ONLY then. He has several valid points, but primarily loves to hear himself pontificate.
Imagine Stokes as mayor addressing the national media or a group of industrial prospects looking at the city (or the metro). Nobody wants to hear his philosophy of life or his view of Jackson's history or his rants about resisting police officers who don't work for JPD or HSO. Nobody wants to listen to that. Yet that's what he's all about.
And his constant interjection of race and who 'looks like us'. At his core, he's an 'us and them' person. He cannot get beyond it, not that he tries.
Why not Kym Wade for mayor?
Hell hath frozen. I am now #TeamStokes. Did I really just write that?
Where can I buy a hat?
Pickett loves to point the finger. But his children are schooled at St Andrew’s not JPS. Pickett has made pastorhood mighty profitable. Pickett and Antar are both pimps of the poor.
Lumumba
Your ass has to go!!! I heard your job in DC didn’t workout. I guess they found out your a real moron after all and pulled the offer. Hell, use me for a reference and I will give you a glowing review if someone will take you away from here
Crazy as it sounds… Stokes sounds like a true leader and has many common sense answers to the problems. I’d vote for him today if he ran for mayor… hey Chokwe, did you speak about babalou closing and the jobs lost at your town hall… I notice all your town halls are in west and south Jackson… but none the less a Jackson resident owns babalou and he owns table 100 meanwhile lives in the city of Jackson… he doesn’t have the issues at his table 100 location. I live in NE Jackson and at my medical practice in flowood several of our physicians live in Jackson but we love working in flowood. No water issues and only one car stolen this yr in parking lot.
If you want to run a criminal enterprise in a city, you first need a corrupt mayor to keep law enforcement from getting in your way and corrupt pastors to launder your money back to the mayor. Hope we never have that problem.
Stokes really means well and caress about all Jacksonian’s. He just gets hung up and twisted when people are hurt.
Pastor Pickett and the Mayor of Jackson, they don’t have a clue! These two are caught up in a struggle they care nothing about, except power and greed!
To the Capital Police keep doing what you’re doing, we cannot continue to allow these young men to destroy Mr Stokes beloved city! We are done pleading and talking! They must abide by the Laws as our other citizens.
I don’t want these fools robbing/killing my Big Mama! Arrest, convict if guilty and put them away for a long long time.
Mr Stokes, you need to start selling Stokes caps and hats.
It's always someone else's fault. Always.
And I agree with Clay Edwards, they want a national race spectacle so bad they will try and push that narrative on any event they can until it gets traction. They are students of Rham Emanuel. "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before."
You know you've gone "through the looking glass" as a community when Kenny Stokes is the wise voice of reason.
I think Babalu did it to itself in this case. Since I posted that sign Friday night, I've seen and heard many complaints about the food and service.
KF, you are correct on the Babalu comment. It's not 100% Jackson causing them. I quit trying to go when I was met at the door with 45mins-1hr wait times and the place was at half capacity. Plus it had gotten "pretty ok". Wasn't worth the hassle.
Preacher and the Punk, sounds like an edgy adult cartoon. They just do retail race baiting, truth and facts would kill their act but unfortunately, Capitol Police too slow getting a factual account out, so the shit-sharks circle them like chum(ps).
Governor Reeves,
As you can see by the Mayor's comments, he has no desire to work with you on crime or the water fiasco. It's embarrassing to see that Jackson leads the Nation in murders per capita and was the laughing joke of the Nation when they allowed the water system to fail. You and the State Legislature can do the State a favor by revoking the charter of the City. We need a thriving Capital city in this State. It's time to act.
Pickett is the Al Sharpton of Mississippi. He is nothing but a clown. South Jackson is no better with him pimping his prosperity teaching. He will have to answer to God on judgement day.
Lumumba's shirt is barely holding on. Must be stress eating. Also, if Pickett's kid was real close to Jaylen, then I wonder if Pickett ever spoke to Jaylen about stopping that distribution of that poison across Jackson. I doubt it.
He's also still bullshitting about that RFP nonsense, claiming that he's actually right on the garbage pickup debacle.
What a clown.
Can JPD and give Capital full city wide jurisdiction.
If you want a Stokes Hat, go to Etsy and have one made.
I did.
When Kenneth makes sense, something is going on!!!
8:34, yep that is the truth. When Kenny becomes the best Jackson has thing have really changed.
Somebody go interview Polo !!!
Surely Pastor Picket has given him some Spirit talking.
Pastors and politicians.., an unholy alliance. When they get together, you’d better look out! they do not have your best interests in mind!
Mayor Chalk Lines’ “Flee the Land” movement is accelerating.
Crime is the only abundant thing in his Radical New City.
Imagine a world where Stokes is the more articulate voice of reason among available leadership. All kidding aside, I think Stokes really cares in some capacity.
Stokes knows his constituents, and he speaks for them. Over the past couple of years, I've listened to him carefully and his messages is pretty consistent: Protect the kids and the elderly. Make life easier for them. Get rid of the dope boys on the corners hindering kids walking home from school, and make sure the elderly have all of thier needs met. I don't agree with everything he says or stands for, but I can get behind those two agenda items.
He knows his folks because they are his neighbors and friends and their grandkids. His common sense may get convoluted because of the way he says it, but the message isn't so difficult to understand: take care of the ones who can't take care of themselves.
Team Stokes. Where is my hat?
Stokes may sound Moderate but his history speaks for itself. How about someone running for mayor who has legitimate business experience, not a lawyer, activist, teacher/professor, who is willing to say no to the minority contractors raking in the money. They are out there but would they want the headache?
Too bad all the big shot reporters didn’t stick around after the water crisis to see Lumumba and Pickett show their true colors.
These are the race hustlers whose word the national press (and MS Today) took at face value.
6:29 am You are right as I don’t know any other pastor or civil servants living in Crystal Springs in a house appraised at over $803,000. Just saying on Dry Grove Road
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