El Paso County Commissioners discuss county sheriff’s office use of overtime in special meeting

UPDATE (5:03 p.m.) -- County commissioners discussed the county sheriff's use of overtime during the meeting. The majority of the meeting was behind closed doors.

ABC-7 spoke with County Judge Ricardo Samaniego, who said the biggest issue is the increase of overtime by the sheriff's office. He said the county doesn't have the budget for it.

El Paso County Sheriff Oscar Ugarte sent out the following statement on Thursday's special meeting:

“While we cannot comment on specific details discussed during today’s executive session, we can confirm that conversations took place regarding the Sheriff’s Office budget and operations.

Since taking office, I have been clear in sounding the alarm that this office faced years of neglect. While our staffing tables may show positions filled, the operational reality is that we do not have the personnel needed to meet the demands of our growing community.

Although we continue to meet the standards set by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards within our detention facilities, our employees are working overtime to maintain those requirements. That level of strain is not sustainable and is taking a toll on the dedicated men and women who serve this community every day.

Our deputies are also working overtime on targeted operations focused on issues that matter most to our community.

Despite these challenges, our commitment to keeping El Paso County safe does not change. Since taking office, we have seen a 14% decrease in crime in our areas of responsibility. This is a clear indication that our team is working tirelessly to deliver results, even under difficult conditions.

We will continue working collaboratively with County Administration and Commissioners’ Court to address our budgetary and operational needs, and we remain focused on ensuring the Sheriff’s Office is properly resourced to effectively serve our community."

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The El Paso County Commissioners is holding a special meeting to discuss the budget for the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. 

According to presentation during a March 19 Commissioners Court meeting, the public safety sector spent 47% of its budget through February. That spending is largely driven by overtime costs by the sheriffs office. 

This is a developing story. ABC-7 will bring updates with the latest information on air and online.