It has come to my attention that Hammond is being mentioned as a possible location for the GEO, for profit, prison should Gary city officials turn down the facilities’ request to locate by the airport. I have been told that my name has been mentioned as personally being interested in this facility locating in Hammond. Nothing can be further from the truth.
Hammond officials have never been contacted by GEO prison officials, nor are we interested is this facility being located in Hammond, Indiana. Although the investment in this facility is enormous, and the jobs numerous, I personally cannot support a for-profit facility of this nature being located in Hammond.
I truly believe it is the function of County, State and Federal Government to run prison facilities. I don’t believe that this function of government should be privatized. Breaking up families and sending loved ones away to foreign countries requires Due Process, making profits should never be considered when dealing with such difficult decisions.
For that reason I wanted to make this clear, as Mayor of Hammond I will never support the construction of the GEO, for-profit prison, to be located within Hammond’s borders.
Mayor Thomas M. McDermott, Jr.