El Paso County Sheriff’s Office projects $2.5M budget shortfall tied to overtime needs

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso County Sheriff Oscar Ugarte said the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is facing a projected year-end budget shortfall driven largely by overtime and staffing needs, but emphasized the figure is a projection that could change.

“In response to reports regarding the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office’s projected budget shortfall, I want to provide the people of El Paso County with information about what is driving it and what we are doing to address it,” Ugarte said in a statement released on Wednesday.

Ugarte said the shortfall is “a projected year-end shortfall, not the amount the Sheriff’s Office is currently over budget.” He said it is “based on current spending and estimated costs through September 30, and that number can change.”

“The budget closes on September 30th, and right now it’s projected more or less about $2.5 million that we’re short if we continue at the rate that we are going,” said Ugarte.

Ugarte said a significant part of the projection is tied to overtime and staffing demands for an agency that operates around the clock, including staffing two detention facilities 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while continuing law enforcement services. “When we do not have enough employees available to meet required staffing levels, overtime becomes necessary,” he said.

He said the costs of public safety operations are substantial, including operating detention facilities, putting deputies on the streets, investigating crimes, responding to emergencies, training employees and maintaining equipment, while also stressing the need for fiscal responsibility. “But every taxpayer dollar must also be justified and spent responsibly,” Ugarte said.

Ugarte said he has raised concerns since taking office about whether authorized staffing levels match current needs and said the office is requesting “a professional, independent staffing assessment of our detention and law enforcement operations.”

He said he wants data to determine what is needed, “whether that means additional staffing or identifying areas where we can operate more efficiently.”

Ugarte said there is a disagreement with HR.

“Our HR department believes that we do have the proper staffing. I have walked county staff through our facilities, and we show them these are the positions that we need, where they are needed, and the justification for why those officers are there. That is why I’m asking to bring an independent consultant to do a whole assessment of the sheriff’s office,” said Ugarte.

He said the Sheriff’s Office is working with Commissioners Court, County Administration and the county budget team to control expenses and reduce overtime “wherever it can safely be reduced,” but warned against cuts that could affect safety. “But simply cutting overtime without addressing why it is necessary is not a long-term solution,” Ugarte said. “I will not compromise the safety of our employees or our community simply to make a number on a spreadsheet look better.”

Ugarte also pointed to efforts to address staffing challenges, saying that since taking office the agency has “reduced vacancies, improved retention, and worked to strengthen employee morale by showing our employees that they are valued and supported.”

He said crime in the areas the Sheriff’s Office is responsible for fell during his first year in office. “During my first year as Sheriff, crime in our areas of responsibility decreased by 14 percent,” Ugarte said, adding that “the credit belongs to the men and women who serve this community every day.”

Ugarte said he accepts responsibility for decisions within the organization and said the office will continue seeking efficiencies and controlling expenses while advocating for resources. “We must protect our community. We must support the men and women who serve it. And we must be responsible with taxpayer dollars,” he said.

Tags: