Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1953-01-31
Local Negro
Continued from Page One

|
did not favor this proposal. OF
these SO more than half stated that
| they did not feel sufficiently in
formed on the subject to vote on 1T.
Some said they did not see how
a Negro policeman could do more
than a white policeman.
On the other hand, the state
ments made by many who favor
this move, have strengthened the
conviction Of the Jackson Juvenile
Council that our city would profit
by using one or two Negro police
men. Here is a quote from one
citizen: Having formerly lived in
Galveston, Tex, where a detail of
Negro officers are and have been
for many years on the police rolls,
| know that properly selected men
are efficient" Another man
writes: Il lived in Beaumont, Tex,
and Negro policemen were most
satisfactory" Business men seem
to be very much in favor of this
proposal. One lady writes: ''The
higher type of well-trained Negro
would take pride in his work, his
own people would trust him
ne would also know the ways Of
his people and his work would be
preventative as well as corrective"
"A common-sense movement that
should have been in effect long
before now" writes one citizen
1t would be a very good thing for
the city as whole, strongly in
.avor," writes another. "A step in
the right direction, there is def
nitely a place for Negro police
nan in the Negro districts" "An
excellent proposal conducive to
better racial relations as we'll as
to combat juvenile delinquency"
Why only one, there should be
at least two who can work to-
rether." One BUSINESS firm writes:
We certainly do favor this. Why
not get up a petition to present to
the authorities ?" "I've lived in
southern cities where colored police
are used and | must say that the
Negroes respect them as we'll as
the whites, just ask Savannah,
Ga" Another citizen writes: Il
favor Negro policemen as well as
Negro policeWomen."
Il once commanded Negro NJ. P.'s
at the Air Base in Greenville, Miss.
| found the system very success
full" Several other veterans have
written the same thing about the
colored NJ. P.'s during the war.
One man recommends that We
should consider a sub-station head
quarters for the Negro policemen
with radio facilities. 1t is obvious
that if our authorities would APP
prove this step they would be as
sured of the backing of the COM
munity as a whole.
One of the reasons that the Jack /
son Juvenile Council has taken so
much interest in this proposal is
the fact that with only one Juve-
nile Court Officer Ca white MANI /
to take care of white and colored /
juvenile delinquents, he is over
burdened A Negro policeman
working in the Negro districts
could round up the truant colored .
children and catch up with some
of the delinquents who, if they are
not taken care of now will grow
up criminals and cost the commun-
lty far more than the salary of one
or two policemen. 1t should be
borne in mind that there are 50
cities IN IL southern states who /
now employ Negro policemen and
that some of these cities have far
less population than Jackson. Here
IN Mississippi, Greenville with a
population of 29,914 employs two
Negro policemen in the colored /
area. Indianola with a population
of less than 5000 has a Negro po-
liceman to look after the colored |
population and he is doing fine
work according to the report from
the chief of police. Obviously the !
men appointed to the positions
must be of high caliber. They |
should be high school graduates of
good moral character and should be
able to pass a stringent medical
examination. Reports from chiefs