Sheriff’s Office Promotes 6 Jailers To Rank Of Deputy
By News/Web Producer Joe Villasana
EL PASO — The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office promoted six “jailers” to the position of Sheriff Deputy at a ceremony early Friday morning.
El Paso County Sheriff Richard Wiles said he is seeking funding for an additional 30 deputies. He is awaiting approval from county officials andsaid his office needs the extra manpower to deal with the immense growth of far east El Paso and Fort Bliss.
“Law enforcement agencies in El Paso are struggling to keep up with the demands that we face today,” he said.
The six jailers were part of “Class Legacy,” which graduated from the sheriff’s academy in December of last year. Wiles said no deputy field positions were available for the graduates and they had to take jobs at the El Paso County Detention Facility. The positions recently became available and the jailers were promoted to deputies.
Wiles said they areperfectly suited to serve the Borderland community, which is already the third safest community in the country. “The [quality of these deputies], is going to be difference between us being number three and being number one, the safest city and county in the country,” he added.
At the ceremony, Wiles told the graduates and other deputies present they need to understand the needs of their community. “We need to know our place,” said Wiles, “it is the people who give us the right to serve and protect.”
