Horhn defends police chief contract, cites private funding option

JACKSON — Mayor John Horhn is defending the contract for Police Chief Dr. RaShall Brackney, calling her “among the best in the business” while acknowledging City Council concerns amid a budget shortfall, he said in a statement released this week.

Horhn said the city must offer competitive incentives to attract top law enforcement leadership and repeated that officials already have alerted the council to the city’s financial constraints. “When you have the opportunity to grab talent like that, you often have to incentivize them to take the job,” he said.

To address the budget gap, Horhn said his administration is exploring a philanthropic funding option to help meet the terms of Brackney’s agreement, but he said details of the arrangement are still being worked out. He said his goal is to resolve the matter in a way that is financially responsible and in the city’s best interest.

Horhn noted that his administration has relied on partnerships with corporate, nonprofit and philanthropic groups to fund infrastructure, cultural events and public safety efforts and said that approach will continue as the city balances financial challenges with efforts to strengthen public safety. We will provide more information as it becomes available.