NAACP: Changes coming to Bibb County Jail following meeting with Sheriff Davis
The NAACP announced new protocols at the Bibb County Jail, including GBI-led investigations into deaths and injuries, as concerns grow over jail conditions and mental health care.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Immediate changes are coming to the Bibb County Jail following a meeting between the NAACP and Sheriff David Davis, including a new protocol for investigating in-custody deaths and serious injuries.
During a news conference on Wednesday, the Georgia and Macon branches of the NAACP announced changes that will be implemented at the Bibb County Jail. Gerald Griggs, President of the Georgia NAACP, announced that Sheriff Davis has agreed to some immediate changes within the jail. One is that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) will now handle investigations into all in-custody deaths. In addition, any serious bodily injuries that happen in the jail will also be investigated by the GBI, rather than being investigated in-house by the sheriff’s office.
Griggs expressed concerns about the age of the jail, which has been in operation for more than 45 years. He spoke about the need for either a new facility or the refurbishment of the existing jail.
“If we have a facility that is over 45 years old, it’s very difficult to maintain that facility in a way that is humane and services both the public safety concerns and the human and civil rights concerns on all sides,” he said. “So, we want to have a meeting with the mayor as soon as possible to get a full understanding of how he plans to fully fund public safety dealing with the jail.”
Macon Branch NAACP President Gwenette Westbrooks said it was important for the community to hold the local government accountable for the conditions within the jail.
She said that individuals, regardless of their incarceration status, have rights and should not be subjected to inhumane living conditions.
“We have to hold our Bibb County government accountable,” she said. “They’re the ones that own the jail.”
District 3 Commissioner Stanley Stewart, who attended the news conference, described the conditions he witnessed during a recent walk through of the jail as “horrific.”
“Conditions are not OK, in my opinion,” he said. “They’re not OK at all. That’s what truly needs to be addressed.”
Stewart pointed out specific issues, including non-locking cells and poor maintenance.
Griggs also brought attention to the critical topic of mental health services, saying jails should not serve as the primary providers of mental health services in Georgia.
“The jail should not be the biggest provider of mental health services in our state, in any of the counties, in any of the jurisdictions in this state,” he said.
