Clayton County sheriff hopefuls detail their plans for controversial jail

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — People in Clayton County are heading to the polls to pick a new sheriff.

Channel 2’s Tom Jones spoke to the candidates, and the former sheriff, about a hot topic with voters: the condition of the jail.

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Channel 2 Action News was there when voters decided who they want for the next sheriff at the Suder Elementary polling location. After they voted, they told Jones what they were looking for.

“Leadership. Someone that’s gonna keep our county safe,” one voter said.

Some said they wanted a sheriff with integrity.

“I would say, for me, someone who is not a clone of Victor Hill,” another voter said.

Many people talked about the conditions at the jail. One voter told Jones she heard reports that gangs were taking over the jail.

They said they wanted someone who could make the jail safe.

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There have been many reports about jail gangs taking over the jail, and it is unsanitary.

Interim Sheriff Levon Allen oversees the jail. Allen refused to answer any of Jones’s questions. Former Sheriff Victor Hill, who is supporting him, also declined to comment.

The other candidates told Jones making the jail safe is a top priority.

“I said the first thing I’m going to do is take control of the jail. Take the power from the gangs who are extorting people who are recruiting in our jail,” candidate Chris Story said.

“I have the leadership that I can turn that jail around and turn the sheriff’s department around within a year’s time,” candidate Dwyane Fabian said.

“They’re understaffed in that jail and in a lot of cases we got people with inappropriate skillsets to actually do the job,” candidate Clarence Cox said.

“Number one priority is we gotta get this jail fixed. A major liability. I know how to do that,” candidate Terry Evans said.

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One of the candidates says a parent didn’t want him to remove the gangs from the jail because the gangs provide protection for her son.

Others say the extortion is out of control and they vowed to fix it.

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