Only 1 Black rep gets role in talks on Mississippi policing

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS
Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — One Black lawmaker and nine white ones have been chosen to work on final versions of bills that could expand the territory of a state-run police department inside Mississippi’s majority-Black capital city. The Black lawmaker is Democratic Rep. Earle Banks of Jackson. He told The Associated Press on Tuesday that his goal is to have a safer city. Banks says he has heard from Jackson residents and businesspeople concerned about crime. With just under 150,000 residents, Jackson has had more than 100 homicides for each of the past three years. The negotiators were appointed by House Speaker Philip Gunn and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, who are both Republicans. Their party controls the Legislature.