The City Council voted unanimously to approve repairs and payments related to police operations, including air‑conditioning and facility work at Jackson Police Department precincts and to clear long‑standing invoices for forensic testing.

Chief Joseph Wade briefed the council on Precinct 1, describing it as "the last precinct that we were having air conditioning issues with" and said the building will receive a new roof, condensers and HVAC units under the authorized work. The chief said the work will restore the precinct for officers and for community use and that other precincts have been renovated or have no outstanding HVAC issues.

On forensic services, Chief Wade said the police department conducted an internal audit that revealed invoices to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety crime lab dating back to 2014. The council authorized payment of those invoices and a continuing arrangement for analytical fees within the department's budget. "We had invoices that dated way back to 2014 coming forward ... we need to pay these invoices," the chief said, adding that the state lab performs high‑volume testing the department cannot complete in house, such as DNA and shell‑case analysis.

Why it matters: The HVAC work affects officer safety and precinct usability; funding and clearing forensic lab arrears affect case processing and prosecutors' ability to present evidence. Chief Wade said the city could ultimately restore a fuller local forensic lab but would need funding, facilities and qualified staff; until then the state crime lab remains essential for prosecutions.

Council action: Item 20 (HVAC/precinct work) passed 7‑0. Item 21 (payments to the Mississippi Forensic Laboratory) also passed 7‑0 after the chief and administration presented a memo explaining invoices that extended back multiple years. The council asked for timelines and confirmed that much of the cost will come from repair funds and departmental budgets.

Immediate follow up: The chief committed to provide a contractor timeline after the vote. Council members asked administration to track ongoing facility maintenance and to explore options to rebuild in‑house forensic capacity over time.