El Paso, Texas – Sheriff Oscar Ugarte is set to present a detailed budget request to the El Paso County Commissioners Court on Monday, outlining how the Sheriff’s Office plans to address a $5.9 million deficit while maintaining public safety.
Overtime reductions and remaining needs
The presentation highlighted significant overtime cuts achieved through staffing adjustments. The Downtown Detention Facility reported a 42.65% reduction in overtime, and the Annex saw a 44.84% decrease. Despite these savings, the Office still requires additional resources to meet operational demands.
Request to restore contingency funds
Ugarte is asking the Court to move $652,085 from the county’s contingency pool into the overtime accounts of several key divisions: the Sheriff’s Office Academy, Courthouse Security, Patrol, Criminal Investigations Division (CID) and Warrants. Restoring these funds will allow the Office to continue supporting essential duties without compromising response times.
Planned DWI enforcement for FY 2027
The Sheriff’s Office also seeks approval for overtime expenditures tied to pre‑planned Special Operation Initiatives, primarily focused on DWI enforcement during major holidays and community events. The projected overtime cost for these operations totals $223,394.20, broken down as follows:
- One‑day operations: 1 lieutenant, 2 sergeants and 20 deputies – $11,198.05 per operation.
- Two‑day operations: 1 lieutenant, 2 sergeants and 15 deputies – $8,091.76 per day, $20,099.81 total.
- Three‑day operations: 1 lieutenant, 2 sergeants and 15 deputies – $8,901.76 per day, $29,001.57 total.
In addition, six contingency DWI enforcement dates are being requested, each budgeted at $6,604.69, for a total of $39,628.14.
Red Sands Special Operations
The final line item covers overtime for the Red Sands Special Operations, which include the Turkey Trot and Fourth of July celebrations. Staffing for each event will consist of 1 lieutenant, 2 sergeants and 50 deputies, with an estimated overtime cost of $46,640.84 per operation, or $93,281.68 for both.
Total projected overtime cost
All combined, the Sheriff’s Office projects overtime expenses of $356,304.02 for Fiscal Year 2027. By restoring contingency funds and approving the outlined overtime allocations, the Office aims to preserve public safety while responsibly managing the county’s fiscal shortfall.
The Commissioners Court will consider these requests alongside other budget priorities, seeking a balanced approach that safeguards community security without further straining the county’s finances.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
