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El Paso County Faces Overtime Budget Strain in Sheriff’s Office

El Paso Matters•Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at 11:18 PM•Elida S. Perez

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El Paso County is grappling with significant overtime costs in the Sheriff’s Office, which has already consumed nearly half of its public safety budget just five months into the fiscal year. Sheriff Oscar Ugarte highlighted the need for adequate staffing at the county's jails, emphasizing that current staffing levels are insufficient despite meeting state requirements. The Commissioners Court is set to hold a special meeting to address these budgetary concerns, with discussions around the impact of overtime on jail operations and potential solutions. The county's overall budget remains tight, with additional staffing requests blocked due to financial constraints, prompting urgent conversations about the future of public safety funding.

Key Details: • Special Commissioners Court meeting scheduled for Thursday to discuss budget concerns. • Sheriff's Office has spent 47% of its public safety budget by February. • Current fiscal year budget for the Sheriff’s Office is $136 million. • Commissioners Court approved $3.3 million in spending for law enforcement equipment since March 30. • Sheriff Ugarte invites Commissioners to tour the jail to understand staffing challenges.

budget sheriff public-safety overtime county-commissioners

People & Organizations

Downtown El PasoEl Paso County Commissioners CourtEl Paso CountyBetsy KellerEl Paso County Detention FacilityOscar UgarteSheriff's OfficeCarmen Arrieta-Candelaria

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