Dyess to partner with Taylor County Sheriff's Office for base beautification

  • Published
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  The second of eight proposals initiated under the Air Force Community Partnership process piloted by Dyess and local civic leaders in recent months will be implemented on April 6, when the inmates from the Taylor County Detention Center will be seen on the installation performing base beautification services.

An officer from the Taylor County Sheriff's Office and a crew of four inmates dressed in orange jumpsuits will report to the 7th Civil Engineer Squadron on weekdays beginning April 6 until May 1 to receive equipment and assignments to perform tasks like clearing ditches, picking up garbage and debris, and removing large branches from common areas.

The inmates who will be working on Dyess have been deemed low risk by the sheriff's office, but to guarantee the safety and assuage concerns of base residents and employees, the officer assigned as the overwatch for the crew will remain armed at all times and in radio contact with the Taylor County Sheriff's dispatch center.

"Although using inmates to perform grounds maintenance on base is a new practice for Dyess, it is not unprecedented. Many military installations and government facilities have identified the value of having individuals who are incarcerated, but do not pose a threat to the general population, perform these kinds of services," said Maj. Sarah Babbitt, 7th Security Forces Squadron commander.

The partnership is also beneficial to the Taylor County Sheriff's Office, because the detention center is structured to create an environment for positive change in an offender's life so they can better serve the community as productive citizens when released. Performing community service allows inmates an opportunity to support the community, and alleviates boredom and tension while incarcerated.

"When this idea was raised during the first AF Community Partnership meeting, I spoke with the local law enforcement representatives who were in attendance, our colleagues from the Taylor County Sheriff's Office and Abilene Police Office, and we quickly agreed this was a win for everyone involved," said Babbitt.

The AF Community Partnership Program encourages AF installations and community partners to re-evaluate the way they do business, to leverage the resources of both parties to achieve mutual value and benefit. The goal of the program is to reduce future AF mission costs while contributing to the vitality of local economies and improving social stability.

Although the base beautification project is the first visible initiative to stem from the AF Community Partnership process, the first proposal to be implemented was the formalization of a communication process that included Dyess, the Abilene Independent School District and Wylie Independent School District to ensure consistency on inclement weather reporting. There are currently six other ideas under development, with additional potential for Dyess to team with public and private organizations in the Big Country to address shared needs and meet similar objectives.