As the Washington County Commissioners entered the council house Tuesday morning, they were met by a chalk mural depicting all of the people who have died in ICE custody since President Trump took office in 2025.
According to ICE’s own website, as of this January, nearly 40 people have lost their lives while being held by immigration enforcement. However, some reports show that number may be closer to 46 people as of March.
Protestors rallied outside the hall as the commissioners voted to approve the purchase of $118,639 in riot gear. The vote was originally to be held in March, but was delayed due to public outcry. The vote passed three to zero.
The purchase includes more than fifty suits of riot gear for the Washington County sheriff’s department and Hagerstown police that staff the Civil Disturbance Unit (CDU). The SDU was originally founded in 1999 in preparation for civil unrest ahead of possible panic caused by Y2K.
Outdated or well timed?
In 2016, that equipment saw an upgrade in response to social unrest occurring across the country. Now, ten years later, Brandi Kentner, director of procurement, explained it was time for an upgrade. “The personal protective equipment is specifically manufactured and certified to be fire resistant and the updated equipment will provide protection from projectiles thrown in the event that members are engaged in civil disobedience incidents,” Kentner said.
Washington County resident Layna Williams is not certain she believes that is the reason for the purchase. The proximity of this decision to the commissioners’ unanimous February vote to fully support ICE operations in the county has her feeling worried. “Like they are preparing for a class war,” Williams said. “Like they know that this is not something the community wants, and they are ready to instigate to create something bigger to scare us into not speaking up.”
The commission's full-stop support of ICE came directly as the federal agency purchased a 825,000 square foot warehouse it plans to turn into a major detention center. It sits just outside of Williamsport and could potentially house 1,500 people at a time. The project is currently on hold because of a lawsuit.
Critics have raised concerns over the conditions in other ICE detention centers across the US. Additional questions have been raised over whether the building, much less the surrounding environment, could handle that level of waste water production.
Williams said that, as a white woman, she may not be affected by this as much, but she still doesn’t want to see her friends and family getting hurt. Ultimately, she thinks the focus on immigration in recent years is merely a distraction. “The people at the top are saying, ‘hey, look at this immigrant or this brown person. This is your enemy, not me. They’re what’s keeping you from the American dream,’” Williams said.
What’s the cost?
The riot gear was acquired through an intergovernmental cooperative purchase, or INTG, Kentner, explained. That means another local government already went through the process of approving the purchase, which Kentner proposed would allow Washington County to save money. “The county will benefit with the direct cost-savings due to the economies of scale this contract has leveraged,” Kentner explained.
Put simply, the contract earned the city a 41% discount on the cost of the gear.
Eric Schwartz, member of Washington County Indivisible, is not convinced the equipment is worth the cost. He fears that, in the long run, those protected by the riot gear won't be the residents of Washington County. “Do you see anybody with a molotoph cocktail,” Schwartz asked. “Do you see anyone with a billy club?”
