Mississippi's Republican governor has signed a controversial bill expanding the authority of a state-run police department in Jackson, the state's majority-Black capital city as part of a wider effort to undermine the authority of local Black leaders in the state. Mississippi's Republican governor has signed a bill on Friday to extend the authority of a state-run police department in the majority-Black capital city of Jackson, prompting expected legal action from the NAACP. The majority-white and Republican-controlled state House and Senate approved the legislation. Jackson is governed by Democrats and is a Black city with around 83% of residents being Black. The governor has stated that the Jackson Police Department is severely understaffed, and he believes that the state-run Capitol Police can provide much-needed stability. The state has ignored requests for funds to repair the city's water system, which left tens of thousands of people without running water following a near-collapse of the system that is now under the control of a federally appointed manager. Governor Reeves has vetoed several spending proposals for other projects inside Jackson, including $1 million for parking at the city's convention center and $2 million for downtown infrastructure. The new law will establish a temporary court within the Capitol Complex Improvement District inside a portion of Jackson. The courts will handle misdemeanor cases, traffic violations, and initial appearances for some criminal charges. Most municipal judges are appointed by city officials, including a Black mayor and a majority Black city council. However, the judge of the new court is not required to live in Jackson and will be appointed by the Mississippi Supreme Court chief justice. The current chief justice is a conservative white man. New prosecutors will be appointed by the white state attorney general. The Capitol Police is run by a white chief who answers to a white public safety commissioner who, in turn, answers to a white governor.
