MS Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s Bi-Weekly Update

Upcoming Consumer Protection Week

March 1-7 is National Consumer Protection Week. To help Mississippians protect themselves from fraud, identity theft, and scams, my office will
be hosting three FREE community shred days. The dates and locations are below.

All three events will be from 8 AM to 12 PM.

 

February 29: D’Iberville

Walmart Supercenter

3615 Sangani Rd.

 

March 6: Jackson

Home Depot

6325 I-55 North

 

March 13: Starkville

Lowe’s

882 Hwy 12 West

 

One in four Americans will fall victim to identity theft in their lifetime. For tips on how to protect yourself, here is a link to a resource page
on the Federal Trade Commission’s website: FTC Tips.

 

Also during this awareness week, my office will be posting facts and protection tips on social media. You can find links to my pages at the bottom
of the newsletter.

Upcoming Prosecutor & Law Enforcement Training

The Attorney General’s Office offers a variety of professional training opportunities for our prosecutor and law enforcement partners.

 

These training sessions cover a wide array of subject matter expertise, from human trafficking to DUI reporting. Below is the upcoming schedule
for the rest of the month:

 

Feb. 25th-26th – Domestic Violence Training for Cadets at Mississippi Delta Community College – Law Enforcement; Moorhead

 

Feb. 27th – Crimes Against Children & Mandatory Reporting Course; Mayhew

 

Feb. 27th-28th – Youth Court Prosecutors and Human Trafficking Seminar; Tunica

 

Our Prosecutor and Law Enforcement Training Office would like to thank the volunteers and agencies that participated in the following events earlier
this month:

 

February 5-6: 15 recruits were trained and six people participated in live Domestic Violence scenarios as actors for the Basic Cadet Class at the
North Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Center in Tupelo. Those actors came from S.A.F.E. in Tupelo and the Training Center.

 

February 10-11: 60 law enforcement recruits were trained using 32 people from the Attorney General’s Office, MS Coalition Against Domestic Violence,
Office Against Interpersonal Violence, Oxford Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Children’s Advocacy Centers of MS, and the National
Guard. We would also like to thank the Children’s Advocacy Center of MS for use of their training facility at Whitfield.

Meeting with Community Leaders to Advance Mississippi

I was humbled to be the Guest of Honor for the 27th Annual Evelyn Gandy Lecture Series in Oxford last weekend. Governor Gandy was a true trailblazer
for women in law and for the State of Mississippi.

 

Like so many women, I was grateful for the guidance she gave my early career. She set me on the path to public service and always encouraged me
to engage in a collaborative approach in finding solutions to challenges. It is a privilege to hold the Office of the Attorney General today
and I owe that honor in large part to her mentorship and encouragement.

Monday, I spoke with the Business and Industry Political Education Committee (BIPEC) in Jackson. I discussed structural solutions to challenges
we face in the Office of the Attorney General as well as regulatory reform and the impact it could have on economic growth in the state. My
team and I look forward to working with Mississippi’s business leaders to advance our state’s priorities.

Kristi Haskins Johnson Appointed as Solicitor General

I appointed Kristi Haskins Johnson as Mississippi’s first Solicitor General. In this position, Kristi will be the State’s lead advocate for appellate
litigation and will be a key part of the Attorney General’s team for crafting strategy for significant cases.

 

Kristi Johnson comes to the Attorney General’s Office from her position as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Prior to that, she was in private practice
at Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart in Ridgeland and clerked at two federal courts, including the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

 

I am very pleased to add her to the team of highly skilled attorneys and professionals we have assembled at the Attorney General’s Office.