ELLISVILLE ā After more than two decades in law enforcement, the newly hired Ā鶹ֱ²„ Campus Police Chief, Jake Driskell is bringing a renewed focus on professionalism, visibility and community policing to the collegeās campus. The 42-year-old Driskell, who officially stepped into the role in April, said the opportunity to serve at Ā鶹ֱ²„ came at the right time in his career after years of working narcotics investigations and training officers across South Mississippi.
āI was ready for a change in pace,ā Driskell said. āMy passion has always been training, and this just seemed like a no-brainer.ā
He began his law enforcement career in 2005 in Newton, before serving with the Ellisville Police Department, the Laurel Police Department and most recently the Jones County Sheriffās Office. Much of his career since 2017 focused on narcotics enforcement which is a demanding field he described as a ā24/7ā job.
āHolidays, weekends, we were never off,ā he said. āThatās just the nature of the beast. While I enjoy working in narcotics I wanted to move into a role where I could focus more on leadership, officer development and campus safety,ā said Driskell.
Since arriving at Ā鶹ֱ²„, Driskell has been able to fully staff the department with nine full-time officers and six part-time officers. One ofhis first initiatives, has also been to create a more unified and visible police presence on campus.
āWeāre actually going to a uniform where everybody will look the same because I want the people on campus to know what their campus police officers look like,ā he said.
Driskell emphasized that community policing will remain at the center of the departmentās mission with officers being more visible. The goal he said is to make this a running, functioning police department. He added that he wants students, faculty and staff to feel comfortable approaching officers and viewing them as part of the campus community.
āWeāre going to train, get up to date, and hopefully never have to use any of it,ā Driskell said. āBut we want to be prepared.ā
Among the departmentās planned upgrades are new uniforms, bulletproof vests and the implementation of tasers that had not previously been put into service. Driskell said officer preparedness is critical, even on a college campus.
āThe number one killer of a law enforcement officer is complacency,ā he said. āI would much rather tell a wife or a husband that their spouse is coming home because they got shot in a vest rather than saying we didnāt think it was needed.ā
Driskell also hopes to expand Ā鶹ֱ²„ās role beyond campus policing by turning the college into a regional law enforcement training hub.
āI want Jones to be known as a training ground for police,ā he said. āI want officers within 60 or 70 miles to think of Ā鶹ֱ²„ when they think about law enforcement training.ā
He said the collegeās facilities, including the hospital simulation center, provide opportunities for realistic training scenarios and continuing education for area officers. In addition to his law enforcement background, Driskell served four years in the Army National Guard, where he worked as a missile systems technician and completed a deployment to Iraq. Though eligible for retirement next year because of his years of service and military time, Driskell said he has no plans to slow down.
āMy plan is to stay here for quite a while,ā he said. āIāve got a lot more to give.ā
As he settles into the Campus Police Chief role, Driskell said his goal is simple: build trust, increase visibility and ensure Ā鶹ֱ²„ continues to provide a safe environment for students and employees.
āUniformity is the number one thing, being seen, making the faculty and staff feel safe,ā he said.
A Jones County resident, Driskell recently celebrated his 21st wedding anniversary with his wife, Melanie. Their daughter is currently attending Ā鶹ֱ²„ on a soccer scholarship, while their son plans to enroll at JC this fall.
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Jones County Junior College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability in its programs, activities, or employment practices. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries and grievances regarding the non-discrimination policies: (ADA/ Section 504) Sarah Jones, Director of Counseling & ADA Coordinator, Student Affairs, phone 601-477-4070; emailĀ ADACoordinator@jcjc.eduĀ and (Title IX) Dr. Brittany Barron, Title IX Coordinator, Hutcheson Hubbard Administration Building, phone 601-477-4127; emailĀ brittany.weatherford@jcjc.edu. Jones County Junior College, 900 South Court Street, Ellisville, MS 39437.