FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – County commissioners are meeting this Thursday with a federal judge regarding progress on the current Allen County Jail after it was ruled by a federal judge to be “severely overcrowded.”
Commissioners and the Allen County Sheriff have been executing their plan to fix the issues since May.
In the meantime, officials are weighing how to work with the existing jail while working to find a place to build a new one.
It was proposed that the new jail could be built at Adams Center and Paulding. That was met with pushback from residents. Now, mayor Henry is weighing in on the future of the project and calling for transparency from all involved.
The City released the following statement from the mayor:
The City of Fort Wayne continues to monitor the discussions regarding a new jail for Allen County. We recognize that the current jail will not suffice, and a new state-of-the-art facility needs to be constructed. It’s imperative that the new jail be a comprehensive, restorative justice facility. It must be one that addresses mental health, addiction, and life skills as well as incarceration needs.
In addition, the public needs a truly transparent discussion with Allen County decision makers, the Board of Commissioners and County Council. Open communication and dialogue are vital. Our community deserves that. The Board of Commissioners is tasked with determining where a new jail will be located, and County Council will have to approve a plan to finance the project. This isn’t under the jurisdiction of the City of Fort Wayne.
Our preference is to see a solution and location that best meets the needs of the community while also protecting the quality of life for residents, neighborhoods, and businesses. We’re encouraged by the positive momentum and growth we’re experiencing in Fort Wayne with public-private partnerships that will have a lasting and meaningful impact. New housing, neighborhood infrastructure enhancements, and hundreds of new jobs with investments in the hundreds of millions of dollars are just a few examples of how Fort Wayne is moving forward in the right direction. We don’t want to see this forward momentum be hindered in any way.
