JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – The Jackson Police Department (JPD) launched a new initiative on Monday to crackdown on violence at gas stations and convenience stores across the capital city.

This comes after calls for a local gas station to be closed due to crime.

Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade said the new initiative will be called “Operation Gas Up and Guns Down.”

The police chief said JPD has identified four stores per precinct to monitor during the initiative. They will crackdown on trespassing, panhandling, drug activity, and gang activity.

“We will focus on those areas. We will make it safe for our citizens. And I want to be clear about this, we want our citizens to visit gas stations and convenience stores, but we want it to be an inconvenience for the criminal element,” said Wade.

Wade said there will be a strong police presence around these businesses. He’s encouraging his officers to get out of their vehicles at these locations and go inside the businesses.

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