- Police Chief Thomas Jackson believes he can weather the crisis
- He has been criticized for his handling of the aftermath of the killing of Michael Brown
- Jackson has been under enormous pressure to step down
- He says he has been working with community leaders to create a dialogue
(CNN) -- Police Chief Thomas Jackson -- a central figure in the protests that flared in Ferguson, Missouri, following the shooting of an unarmed black teen -- says he has no plans to step down despite mounting calls that he must go.
Saying he "intends to see this thing through," Jackson told CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront" on Thursday that he has been working with community leaders and others to create a dialogue in the community.
"Yes, I think I can see this through and come out on the other side with the community, the region and even the country a whole lot better," he said.
Jackson's statements come as the grand jury is expected any day to deliver a decision on whether to indict a white police officer in the shooting death of Michael Brown.
Protesters march in Ferguson, Missouri, on Thursday, August 21. The St. Louis suburb has been in turmoil since a white police officer, Darren Wilson, fatally shot an unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown, on August 9. Some protesters and law enforcement officers have clashed in the streets, leading to injuries and arrests. 
A crowd gathers in Ferguson on August 21. With the situation appearing to calm, Gov. Jay Nixon ordered the Missouri National Guard to begin withdrawing from the city. 
Police escort a Wilson supporter to a police vehicle, away from crowds protesting Brown's death on Wednesday, August 20. Police have said Brown and Wilson struggled over the officer's gun; some witnesses said Brown had his hands in the air when he was shot. 
Lightning streaks over protesters on August 20. 
Demonstrators protest on August 20. 
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder meets with Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol at a Ferguson restaurant on August 20. Holder came to Missouri to talk to community leaders and review the federal civil rights investigation into Brown's shooting. 
Protesters march through the streets of Ferguson on August 20. 
Police point out a demonstrator who has his arms raised before moving in to arrest him Tuesday, August 19. 
People watch from inside a restaurant as protesters rally August 19. 
Police arrest a demonstrator on August 19. 
Police charge into the media work area with weapons drawn as they try to control demonstrators on August 19. 
A protester speaks to a police officer on August 19. 
People on August 19 stand near a memorial where Brown was shot and killed. 
Protesters march on August 19. 
Police watch as protesters march August 19. 
A demonstrator is arrested on August 19. 
Police try to control protesters on Monday, August 18. 
Police lead a man away during a protest August 18. 
A demonstrator shouts during a protest on West Florissant Avenue, one of Ferguson's main streets, on August 18. 
Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol pulls his men back from aggressive protesters on August 18. 
Police arrest a demonstrator August 18 after peaceful protests gave way to angry confrontations with authorities. 
Law enforcement officers stand guard during a protest on West Florissant Avenue on August 18. 
A woman helps a man affected by tear gas August 18. The situation overnight deteriorated after a handful of protesters threw rocks, bottles and Molotov cocktails at police. Officers responded by firing stun grenades and tear gas canisters. 
Officers stand with weapons drawn during a protest on West Florissant Avenue on August 18. 
Musician Nelly, center, joins demonstrators in Ferguson on August 18. 
Demonstrators receive red roses as they protest August 18. 
Demonstrators march on August 18. 
The Rev. Jesse Jackson shakes hands with a police officer as he visits Ferguson's demonstration area on August 18. 
A protester picks up a tear gas canister on Sunday, August 17. 
Police wait to advance after using tear gas to disperse protesters August 17. 
Water gets poured into a woman's eyes after a tear gas attack by police on August 17. 
A man runs through clouds of tear gas on August 17. 
Protesters react as police fire tear gas at them August 17. 
Police advance through a cloud of tear gas on August 17. Most of the crowd had dispersed after a curfew went into effect at midnight, St. Louis County authorities said. 
People take cover from tear gas inside a McDonald's on August 17. 
A large group of police officers advance toward protesters on August 17. 
A man fights the effects of tear gas in Ferguson on August 17. 
Michael Brown Sr. and Lesley McSpadden, the parents of Michael Brown, attend a rally at Greater Grace Church in Ferguson on August 17. 
The Rev. Al Sharpton hugs McSpadden during the rally. 
Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol speaks at the rally. He had been appointed by the governor to take control of security operations. 
Demonstrators defy a curfew early on August 17. 
Police fire tear gas at demonstrators after curfew on August 17. 
A law enforcement officer aims his rifle August 17 after tear gas was fired to disperse a crowd. 
People scramble as police fire tear gas on August 17. 
Law enforcement officers check a building on August 17. 
People attend a protest after the midnight curfew on August 17. 
A law enforcement officer watches as tear gas is fired to disperse a crowd on August 17. 
Police stand guard before the midnight curfew on Saturday, August 16. 
People loot the Ferguson Market and Liquor store on August 16. Several businesses were looted as police held their positions nearby. 
Missouri State Highway Patrol officers listen to taunts from demonstrators during a protest on Friday, August 15. 
Demonstrators protest with their hands up on August 15. The "hands up" gesture has become a symbol in protests as Brown, according to eyewitnesses, was trying to surrender when he was shot multiple times. 
Police confront demonstrators on August 15. 
A demonstrator throws a tear gas canister back at police on August 15. 
Police confront demonstrators on August 15. 
Thousands of demonstrators march down a Ferguson street with members of the St. Louis County Police and the Missouri State Highway Patrol on Thursday, August 14. 
Demonstrators hold signs as traffic moves slowly past them on August 14. 
State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson smiles at demonstrators on August 14. Johnson was appointed to lead security as state troopers took over after days of clashes between protesters and local police. 
The Rev. Traci Blackmon uses a megaphone to talk to a large group of demonstrators on August 14. 
A man picks up a flaming bottle and prepares to throw it as a line of police advance in the distance on Wednesday, August 13. 
Police stand in clouds of smoke as they clash with protesters on August 13. 
An Al-Jazeera television crew runs for cover as police fire tear gas at its position on August 13. Video and images on social media showed police later breaking down the journalists' gear. 
A protester runs from tear gas exploding around him on August 13. 
Police stand guard among demonstrators on August 13. 
Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson fields questions during a news conference on August 13. 
A small group of protesters block traffic in the street before police arrived on August 13. 
A protester throws a tear gas canister back toward police on August 13. 
Police detain a man on Tuesday, August 12. 
People congregate at the Greater St. Marks Family Church in St. Louis along with the family of Michael Brown and the Rev. Al Sharpton on August 12. 
Michael Brown Sr. stands alongside Sharpton, right, during a news conference in St. Louis on August 12. 
Demonstrators protest August 12 in Ferguson. 
A makeshift memorial sits in the middle of the street where Michael Brown was shot and killed. 
A woman tries to calm an emotional protester during a demonstration outside the headquarters of the Ferguson Police Department on August 11. 
Phaedra Parks, left, comforts Desuirea Harris, the grandmother of Michael Brown, during a news conference in Jennings, Missouri, on August 11. 
Police officers arrest a man who refused to leave when police cleared streets in Ferguson on August 11. 
A burned-out QuikTrip gas station smolders on August 11 after protesters looted and burned the Ferguson building the night before. 
Police officers and protesters confront each other on Saturday, August 9, the same day Michael Brown was shot and killed. 
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Photos: Emotions run high in Ferguson 
Meet Ferguson's police chief 
Ferguson police chief denies resignation Law enforcement is girding itself for the possibility of more violent clashes like the ones that raged for days in the St. Louis suburb following the August 9 shooting.
Gov. Jay Nixon took authority from the Ferguson Police Department and gave it to state authorities in the days following Brown's shooting.
Nixon said he put state troopers in charge because tension between law enforcement and demonstrators "appeared to be at a flash point." This week, ahead of the anticipated grand jury announcement, Nixon declared a state of emergency in Missouri and called up National Guard troops to play a backup role.
Even so, Jackson said local police officers will be patrolling the streets.
"I'm running the response here locally," he said.
That's unlikely to sit well with a large number of critics, who say the only answer is for Jackson to go.
Criticism of the police chief has come from many directions -- Brown's family and friends, demonstrators, the U.S. Justice Department and members of the media -- over how his department handled the aftermath of Brown's shooting.
Ferguson Police and St. Louis County law enforcement were widely criticized for being too heavy-handed in dealing with protesters and in how they interacted with media. Reporters said they were targeted for arrest or physical attacks from law enforcement for simply trying to do their job.
How Ferguson became a global conversation
CNN reported in October that Jackson was bowing to pressure to step down.
But since then, he has wavered multiple times and now wants to stay on longer, government sources familiar with the discussions told CNN on Thursday.
The plan continues to be, according to the sources, for Jackson to be encouraged to step down for the good of the police department and the community.
The conversations are part of a broader behind-the-scenes debate about how to tackle poor police relations within black communities in the St. Louis region.
Some officials say one issue the Brown shooting has exposed is one faced by a number of small police departments -- less-experienced, lower-paid officers.
Jackson told CNN that the "pool of candidates is generally pretty small," and that a goal of the police department has been to work to hire and retain qualified officers.
The police department currently has four black police officers, he said.
CNN's Evan Perez, Ashley Fantz and Dana Ford contributed to this report.
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