"Mississippi Joint Municipal Law Enforcement Act"; create.

HB 402 creates a framework allowing two or more cities within a single Mississippi county to form a joint police department. It requires city leaders to pass a resolution determining the joint department serves the best interests of residents, considering factors like cost efficiency and service quality. The joint department would be governed by a board composed of each participating city's mayor and the county sheriff, which handles hiring, budgets, equipment, and operations. This law directly affects municipalities seeking to consolidate police services and the county sheriff's office, providing a structured process for collaboration while specifying funding and governance mechanisms.