In the past 10 years, 24 inmates have died at the Erie County Holding Center.
- Residents weigh on in committee oversight at corrections facilities
- Specialist advisory board will be put up for a vote
- If approved, county attorney would weigh in before it becomes law
Dozens of people packed the county’s legislature chambers at Old Erie County Hall Wednesday in support of oversight of operations at the downtown Buffalo holding center and the county’s correctional facility in Alden.
"We live in a community, a country, where any ‘yahoo’ with a badge and a gun has immediate authority to end somebody's life," said a local man in favor of the specialist advisory board.
Among the deaths at the holding center, some deaths were listed as suicides or caused by “lack of care,” including the death of India Cummings, a Rochester woman who died after 16 days in police custody. She suffered from renal failure and was declared brain dead after she was taken to a hospital for treatment.
In 2018, a report from the New York State Commission of Corrections said Erie County was on the list of the five worst offenders in the state for problematic correctional facilities and violating state law.
Following the report, Erie County Legislature Chairperson, April Baskin, introduced a local law to re-implement a specialist advisory board for the facility.
"It's made up of community members who have had experience working with law enforcement and corrections, as well as working with inmates for additional support for oversight over the office of the sheriff," she said.
Baskin and many others who spoke were in favor of the reform.
Others were somewhat skeptical.
"Do we really believe that this sheriff's department, which has shown this disregard for human life for years now, disregard for the rule of law for years now, is going to pay any attention to an advisory board?" questioned another Buffalo man.
The specialist advisory board will now be put up for a vote. Six votes are needed for it to pass. If approved, it will go to the county attorney for an opinion and will get signed into law. Finally, people will get assigned to be members of that board.