U.S. Rep. Don Beyer says he does not, at present, desire to see a federal investigation into conditions at the Arlington County Detention Facility.
But speaking at a Monday (Oct. 21) candidate forum hosted by the Arlington NAACP, Beyer (D-Va.) did seek more interaction between local officials and their federal counterparts on the issue.
He urged Sheriff’s Office leadership to continue working with the Department of Justice to address “underlying problems” at the jail and “do everything we can to make it the safest possible place.”
Being “reluctant to endorse” a federal investigation puts Beyer at odds with the NAACP, which is seeking federal intervention. Since 2020, the Arlington branch has sought independent inquiries into a string of in-custody deaths at the facility, and in 2023 both the local branch and national NAACP asked the Department of Justice to get involved.
At the candidate forum, one of Beyer’s challengers, independent Bentley Hensel, said a federal look into the matter may be warranted.
Hensel contended that, across the nation, local leaders sometimes attempt to sweep jail problems under the rug.
“I don’t trust … even Arlington to be honest about what’s going on,” he said.
Beyer suggested the broader issue to be addressed is whether incarceration is the appropriate setting for those facing issues that can include underlying health problems, mental illness, addiction and homelessness.
The issue of inmate deaths was a key issue in the spring-of-2023 Democratic primary for sheriff. In that race, Jose Quiroz – who had been appointed to the post after the retirement of Sheriff Beth Arthur – defeated a pair of challengers including Wanda Younger, who was critical of jail operations and Quiroz’s leadership.
The county’s Human Rights Commission earlier this year sent a letter to the Department of Justice, requesting a federal investigation into jail conditions and inmate deaths. County Board members later fired the entire human-rights body and have narrowed the revamped panel’s powers.
Beyer, Hensel and independent David Kennedy participated in the online NAACP forum. Republican nominee Jerry Torres had a scheduling conflict, organizers were told; his campaign manager was on hand but did not participate.
With the Republican not in the forum’s mix, Beyer and the two independents generally responded similarly to a host of questions posed by moderator Janmarie Pena, on issues including voting rights, criminal justice, abortion, the environment and a Mideast ceasefire.
There also was a discussion of raising the minimum wage. The current $7.25-per-hour national minimum and Virginia’s rate of $12 per hour (to rise to $12.41 in January) need to be improved, Kennedy argued.
“We’ve got to be talking about something that’s real,” he said.
Beyer was elected to Congress in 2014 and is widely expected to cruise to another term as the 8th District tilts heavily Democratic. The district includes all of Arlington and the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church, and eastern portions of Fairfax County.
The congressional debate came at the end of an NAACP meeting that also saw forums spotlighting contenders for County Board and School Board. The entire program is expected to shortly be posted online.
