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Sheriff pitches community cleanup, peer recovery program; commission offers to help coordinate legal and space needs
Summary
Sheriff Blake outlined three initiatives — a community cleanup camp for unpaid fines, a jail-based work program, and a community recovery and prevention initiative — asking the commission to help secure meeting space and to coordinate with judges and the district attorney; commissioners did not vote on the proposals at the meeting.
Sheriff Blake described three related proposals intended to reduce jail stays for people unable to pay fines and to provide voluntary pathways to treatment.
Blake presented (1) a Covington County Community Cleanup Camp that would allow people with outstanding fines to perform community service work and receive reductions in fines based on hours worked, (2) a jail-based work program to allow incarcerated people to reduce fines while serving time, and (3) a Community Recovery and Prevention Initiative to offer voluntary intake, counseling and peer-support connections for people seeking help.
“I'm gonna say it could be a benefit to the county for us not having to house these people, feed and medical,” Blake said, describing the cleanup camp as an option for people who are not incarcerated but cannot pay fines. He described the jail-based program as a similar mechanism for people who are incarcerated and said the recovery initiative would connect participants to counselors and peer supports. Blake said he plans to consult the district attorney and judges and that many components could be grant-funded and would not cost the commission directly.
Blake asked the commission’s assistance in identifying a physical space for the program and in arranging meetings with judges and other stakeholders to work through legal and operational questions. Commissioners recommended confirming legal issues with judges and the district attorney and suggested a workshop or meeting to bring stakeholders together. No votes were taken on the proposals at the meeting.
