home > Talk > City/County> Politics
A Matter of Money
Lacey McLaughlin
Democratic candidate Johnnie Bowden said he can drum up new revenue for the Hinds County Sheriff's department through economic development.
by Adam Lynch
July 20, 2011
Retired Mississippi Bureau of Investigation Lt. Johnnie Bowden, 58, says he's running for sheriff and plans to put new emphasis on drug-related crime prevention in the county.
"Most crimes are related to drugs in some kind of way," Bowden said. "Focus on reducing drug abuse, and you'll reduce overall crime in the county."
Bowden retired in 2009 as special agent in charge of MBI's central district, an area that includes Hinds and nine other counties. His retirement, he said, has given him enough time to look around Hinds County and identify potential improvements in the sheriff's department. He said the recent firing of guards at the Hinds County jail indicates an overall lack of training and priorities among some employees.
"The sheriff has had to fire deputies because they put some guy in the hospital. This isn't something that's just started," Bowden said. "This is something that I bet has been going on for 20 years."
He said a stricter hiring protocol for guards and county employees would weed out unfavorable personality issues.
"You have to make sure that the one's working for you are under the understanding that they represent the sheriff, and that the only way you can represent me as sheriff is to treat people in accordance with how you want to be treated," Bowden said.
In a blended marriage with 10 kids, Bowden claims he can increase the visibility of deputies all over the county—not just in the city of Jackson—by using all the volunteers and reserve officers available to the sheriff's office. He said that placing such non-paid individuals more strategically throughout the county in patrol vehicles would improve response time. He also said he would advocate for higher pay for deputies.
But putting cars on the road and funding pay increases costs money that the current sheriff makes clear is hard to come by. Current Sheriff Malcolm McMillin has repeatedly approached the press with stories of underpaid employees and worn-out patrol vehicles after supervisors rejected his budget increase proposals.
Bowden said he is confident that he can drum up additional revenue through means outside county supervisors' signatures.
"The sheriff has been growing crops out at the county farm, but there are other forms of produce-oriented economic development, like catfish farming, cattle and hogs," Bowden said.
"We could also bring in a fish-processing plant. There are other ways to make money."
posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 07/20/11 at 03:09 PM. [printer version] Share |
COMMENTS
:: recentcomments
May 23, 2012 | 01:37 PMBryant Signs Voter ID Bill
golden eagle: Wow, my English was bad on the previous post. You know how it is on these iPhones.
May 23, 2012 | 12:30 PM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
golden eagle: @Jess, I think the word you're looking for is "assassination". @Darryl, do we really know that the majority of MS'ians wanted this, when you consider that this was a ...
May 23, 2012 | 12:18 PM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
DonnaLadd: I can only hope that the reason that this bill passed is that, for once, our lawmakers listened to the majority of Mississippians and crafted this bill. Considering that the ...
May 23, 2012 | 11:57 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
justjess: @Darryl 5/23 "....for once, our lawmakers listened to the majority of Mississippians and crafted this bill." My question is still on the table: What were you "majority ...
May 23, 2012 | 05:26 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
Darryl: justjess, I can only hope that the reason that this bill passed is that, for once, our lawmakers listened to the majority of Mississippians and crafted this bill. But, recall, that ...
May 22, 2012 | 04:26 PM
One Night at Fenian's
DonnaLadd: ... because if there is anything The Clarion-Ledger can muster the resources to do, it's show up any night of the week and take drunk pictures. Meantime, they crib our sports stories. ...
May 22, 2012 | 03:53 PM
One Night at Fenian's
Rico: Next time just call Metro Mix at the C-L and have them come and take some pretty pictures for the newspaper. Hell, the got some on karaoke night Monday.
May 22, 2012 | 02:07 PM
[Editorial] To Do Its Job, Council Must Show Up
RobbieR: And Chokwe wants to run for Mayor? Hopefully the citizens of Jackson don't fall for this clown's rhetoric.
May 22, 2012 | 01:15 PM
Catholics Sue Over Birth Control Rule
Brian C Johnson: I cannot decide whether this is a vanity lawsuit, in the sense that the bishops know they stand little chance of prevailing in court. Or to put it more charitably, ...
May 22, 2012 | 01:00 PM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
Brian C Johnson: Darryl, I think it is simply a statement of fact that African Americans in Mississippi are less likely to have the required photo ID. If so, the new law is discriminatory in ...
May 22, 2012 | 11:25 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
Duan C.: I am in agreement with Golden Eagle - requiring I.D. ties a fee into voting, the only reason why its considered "discriminatory" towards black, is because it places back into an era ...
May 22, 2012 | 10:22 AM
Person of the Day: Rep. Andy Gipson
RobbieR: What? I was clearly referring to Bennie Thompson, not Rep. Gipson. Rep. Bennie Thomson represents Mississippi's 2nd Congressional district; Darryl noted that he rep'd the ...
May 22, 2012 | 09:59 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
justjess: Darryl, out of my "simple ignorance" I ask you this "little question:" Why are registered voters here in the State of Mississippi being asked to produce a picture ID? When the State ...
May 22, 2012 | 08:49 AM
Person of the Day: Rep. Andy Gipson
Duan C.: @ Robbie R - you lost me on that one? They have him listed in the 77th District - covering Rankin, Simpson, and Smith counties?
May 22, 2012 | 08:47 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
bill_jackson: I would be interested to know what percentage of the voting age population does not have identification in this day and age.
16e-mail newsletter
Sign up for the JFP Daily Newsletter to receive breaking news, local events, music listings and more by e-mail.
jfp featured event
Friday Forum
May 25, 2012 - The speaker is Ronnie Agnew, executive director of Mississippi Public Broadcasting. more
|
Guests online: 287
© Jackson Free Press, Inc. - portions of code by CC with EE. User agreement and privacy statement. |
