We mobilized people impacted by abuse and death inside the jail to tell their stories to our elected officials, to insist that there are real human consequences for the failures to treat detainees with dignity, and there is a large constituency of residents, taxpayers, and voters for whom these issues matter. This fact is critical as the County moves forward with a plan to renovate the current facility, which has never been brought before the public for input after a year of closed-door negotiation with private industry.
When the summer surge of attention subsided, MCJC requested a meeting with our elected officials offering “to convene in the spirit of collaboration and open a dialogue about how the community can remain aware of and engaged on this issue.” We initially heard from Commissioner Debbie Lieberman saying she was reaching out to the sheriff to schedule something with us but at some point that plan changed. We received a letter of response “in lieu of a meeting” indicating that the county had already “looked at this project from all perspectives.” While this letter was disappointing, it did not come as a surprise. As is the norm, the leadership in our county is content to drive their work forward with an aim to meet as little resistance from their constituents as possible.
The most glaring example we’ve encountered is the Board of County Commission meeting itself. General session meetings are held on Tuesdays at 1:30 pm, a time that makes it impossible for working people to attend and provide public comment. The simple issue of the timing prohibits robust civic engagement.
Even in the numerous instances when MCJC has rallied the community, when supporters decide to take off from work to attend the sessions, our county commissioners pass the buck. County Administrator Michael Colbert speaks in their place, preventing our elected officials from directly engaging with constituents. Further, when we ask questions about the jail, we are told that those need to be taken up with Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck. However, Sheriff Streck, an elected official, is never in attendance at these meetings, providing yet another barrier for our community to understand what is occurring in the jail and to offer feedback on changes needed to keep our neighbors detained in the jail safe.
We propose these simple solutions: The Board of County Commission meeting times should be organized the same way as the Dayton City Commission meetings, offering evening sessions every other week to enable working people to participate in their government. Sheriff Streck should be available during these meetings and interact with the community that has elected him. When our elected officials consider public engagement more of a nuisance than a duty, we all lose. MCJC calls on the county commissioners and the sheriff to implement these straight-forward recommendations.
Bobby Beebe is a Dayton resident who helps organize with the Dayton Anti-Racist Network, Montgomery County Jail Coalition, and the Dayton Community Bail Fund.
Destiny Brown currently serves as a Community Organizer with Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE) in Dayton, Ohio where she has led efforts with community coalitions to improve housing conditions for tenants and ensure police oversight through community engagement.
Joel R. Pruce is associate professor of human rights studies at the University of Dayton and also active with the Montgomery County Jail Coalition.