Independent institutions that check this jurisdiction's own power — audit, ombudsman, inspector general, civilian review, ethics, and grand-jury bodies established by statute.
The Mississippi State Auditor is independently elected statewide to a four-year term and is a constitutional officer. The office audits state agencies, county offices, and school districts.
Read scorecard → 02 AuditBLEOST sets minimum training and employment standards for all sworn Mississippi law enforcement officers and has binding authority to reprimand, suspend, or permanently revoke officer...
Read scorecard → 03 AuditEstablished in 2014 under Miss. Code § 47-5-6, the Corrections and Criminal Justice Oversight Task Force tracks and assesses outcomes from the 2013 corrections reform report and submits an annual...
Read scorecard → 04 Ethics CommissionThe Mississippi Ethics Commission enforces ethics, financial disclosure, and lobbying laws for public officials and employees. Members are appointed by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker,...
Read scorecard →Mississippi law-enforcement oversight rests almost entirely on BLEOST (Miss. Code §§45-6-1 to 45-6-23), a state POST board housed within the Department of Public Safety that can reprimand, suspend, or revoke officer certification — a binding, permanent consequence — but whose nine members are all law-enforcement officials with no civilian seats. BLEOST may subpoena documents during revocation proceedings but has no independent use-of-force investigative mandate; UOF complaints are handled internally or referred to the AG. The Corrections and Criminal Justice Oversight Task Force (§47-5-6) reviews MDOC outcomes and publishes annual reports but has no subpoena power, no investigative authority, and no ability to require corrective action. Mississippi has no statewide civilian review board for police. A 2026 bill (HB 1739) to require the task force to investigate unexpected prison deaths died in the Senate on deadline day.