Neighbors rally together against new location for Allen County jail

Published: Jan. 5, 2023 at 11:16 PM EST
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NEW HAVEN, Ind. (WPTA) - Thursday night in New Haven, homeowners of the Sunnymede neighborhood voiced their opinions on the new proposed location for the Allen County jail.

Read More: Allen County Commissioners respond to New Haven woman’s concerns over proposed jail site

“We as parents really weren’t given that time to prepare and get ahead of this,” Tameka Anderson said. “I got a letter on my door from someone in the neighborhood who found out what was going on and that’s how we found out.”

Tameka and Adrion Anderson live in the Sunnymede neighborhood with their kids. They say the new location of the jail would be dangerously close to their home and other children in the area.

“As a father and as a protector, yeah, it puts me into high gear and alert thinking about how I’m going to protect my children in the future from this,” Adrion said.

Not only were the adults worried about their children’s safety, but so were the kids.

Maximus Beetz goes to New Haven High School and says he believes a new jail might bring threats to kids there.

“It’d be too easy for inmates to get to kids,” Beetz said. “It would just ruin all of New Haven.”

With potential danger so close, I asked the Anderson’s if they had thoughts of moving. They said, maybe... but not without a fight for a better solution first.

“I’m going to rally with my neighborhood,” Adrion said. “I’m going to rally with my wife and we’re going to be victorious.”