The consideration of a proposed budget amendment for a Gang Prosecutor passed unanimously when the Jackson City Council held its monthly meeting at Jackson City Hall, Tuesday.

“This office has had an Assistant District Attorney General assigned to the role of gang prosecutor since 2014,” said Jody Pickens, District Attorney General, 26th Judicial District, “During that time that position has handled in excess of 1,000 cases which had a criminal gang nexus.”

Pickens said many of those prosecutions resulted in many convictions for crimes of violence including murder and especially aggravated robbery as well as firearms and drug trafficking crimes.

“Those crimes are the currency in trade for criminal street gangs and we have aggressively dealt with them through the gang prosecutor,” Pickens said, “The funding for the position initially came from a grant which had a local match.”

The amount approved was $88,590.26.

“That funding source ran out June 30, 2021, and today I asked the Jackson City Council to assume funding the position,” Pickens said, “I am thankful to the council who unanimously voted to fund the position and in doing I believe recognized the importance of the work.”

Paul Taylor said the first reading budget ordinance would be revisited.

“In the budget committee meeting and then today, as well, we talked about resolving – to have an educational component go along with that – so it would be coupled with the prosecutor position … educate kids on the dangers and pitfalls of being involved in gangs.

“It will come back on a second reading since it is a budget ordinance … we’ll have more discussion about this next month.”

(PHOTO: Jody Pickens – District Attorney General, 26th Judicial District)