NORTHSIDERS RECENTLY had an opportunity to meet with two of the Jackson Police Department’s newest leaders, first at a meeting at Precinct Four and later at a party sponsored by a local civic group.

About 20 community leaders attended a town meeting at Precinct Four headquarters to meet new Cmdr. Kenneth Goodrum. He discussed his plans for the upcoming year and fielded questions from residents on issues ranging from vagrancy to police response time.

At a “Meet and Greet the Chief” get-together sponsored by the Greater Belhaven Security Association, area residents had a chance to meet Jackson Police Chief Sheriff Malcolm McMillin. At the event, the new chief spoke briefly, encouraging residents and media to support the department.

Goodrum also encouraged residents to support the department’s efforts to stop crime. “For 2008, there are several things I want to do, but I’ll need your help,” he said.

He asked neighborhood leaders to remain on the lookout for suspicious looking characters to help prevent crimes like auto and home burglaries. In 2007, property crimes plagued North Jackson. But, according to Goodrum, crime was down 2 percent overall from the previous year.

In 2007, the precinct answered 43,970 calls for services, made 8,760 traffic stops, 1,640 misdemeanor arrests and 178 felony arrests. Goodrum plans to reduce crime further by dividing officers’ beats and adding new officers to improve coverage.

He said an influx of new officers this year should help boost patrol efforts and give the department more tools to target specific crime trends. The precinct added four new officers, including three from the last graduating class at the Jackson Police Officers Training Academy.

Precinct Four should receive an additional 10 officers this spring when the next class of recruits graduates in April, he said. Officers already working in the department can also help reduce crime while they’re off duty, he told the group.

CHIEF MCMILLIN recently gave police permission to work as patrol officers for local neighborhood associations while off the clock. Officers have the authority to make arrests and use the department’s squad cars. It’s a move that’s already helped one neighborhood, the Sheffield area.

While one policy has helped to reduce crime, others still had issues to be addressed.

One resident, who asked not to be identified, said she has seen teenagers in the Northpointe neighborhood climb fences and look through windows after dark. She and other residents in attendance believed police aren’t able to respond soon enough to apprehend the subjects in question.

Goodrum, though, said it’s important to call the police so they can be on the lookout for suspicious activity. He also addressed the city’s curfew. He said teens can be arrested if they are a certain age and are out roaming the streets during school hours.

Precinct Four Quality of Life Officer Barbara Folsom also spoke about an effort she is personally involved for cutting out crime.

She said the department is working to train officers to better learn their beats. Folsom teaches a four-hour community policing class at the training academy to new recruits. Community policing, she said, can help cut out vagrancy, truancy and other crime issues.

“There are a lot of ways to reduce crime,” Folsom said. “We teach them (new officers) to get to know the kids and residents in their neighborhoods. If they know their beats, they know who belongs and who doesn’t belong.”

WHILE OFFICERS addressed crime at one meeting, the Greater Belhaven Security Association offered McMillin a “thank you” for the work he’s done in the community.

At least a hundred people walked through the doors to shake hands with the new chief of police at the party. McMillin also talked about taking on his newest challenge. (The police chief was appointed late last year, following a public hearing and a 4-2 vote by the Jackson City Council.)

“Thank you for making me feel at home,” he told the crowd. “The easy part is over, all I have to do now is live up to the hype. I look forward to (the challenge) and appreciate your support.”

He, too, commented on increasing the manpower within the department and said he hopes that residents have seen improvements already on the streets. He said he welcomed critiques and comments.

McMillin also said he would welcome any positive support from the media. “JPD has been beat over the head for years,” he said. “We do things right and we do things wrong. But when we do things wrong, we hear about it. We’re better than that. The media needs to bring out the positive things.”

He pointed to some recent successes. “In two weeks, we solved two cases that had national implications.” One of these was the shooting at The Antique Market in Fondren.

Donny Register was shot in the hand and his wedding ring deflected the bullet. One of the two suspects was captured within two weeks of the incident.