EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — With a little more than two weeks left in El Paso County’s fiscal year, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office budget deficit is continuing to grow, with county officials questioning what is driving the increase.

The Sheriff’s Office provided an update on its budget deficit during a county commissioners meeting. The office is now projected to end the fiscal year more than $4.6 million in the red, up more than $500,000 from the last update on Sept. 1.

The deficit has climbed from $2.5 million on Aug. 24 to $4.1 million by Aug. 31 and now $4.6 million.

County officials said the biggest drivers are overtime and salaries, along with inmate meals and other operating costs. The Sheriff’s Office has 30 vacant positions, and overtime is needed to keep staffing levels up.

Commissioners to summon Sheriff Ugarte after El Paso County jail budget deficit debate (Credit: KFOX14)

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“We’re doing what we can to make sure we fall as close within the budget that we’re allowed. But again, we have safety issues. We have to keep in mind. We have staffing issues, services we still have to provide to the inmates,” said Patrick Gailey, the El Paso County Sheriff’s chief deputy.

Gailey said limiting overtime could affect operations, including DWI enforcement.

“To minimize the overtime on the patrol side? Would probably result in, some of our safety programs and our programs dealing with enforcement, such as our DWI operation being severely hampered,” Gailey said.

As previously reported, the county has already moved money to help cover some of the costs, including $1.5 million for jail meals, $27,000 from courthouse security funding for ballistic shields and nearly $48,000 from the county’s operating budget for replacement doors, substation restroom cabinets and the Sheriff’s Office elevator contract.

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Gailey also warned that staffing shortages could affect response times.

“If we start losing more people to other positions or retirements, our response times are going to increase. Available deputies to respond to situations is going to increase,” he said.

The budget closes Sept. 30, with the new fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. County commissioners said they are sending a letter directly to Sheriff Oscar Ugarte, mandating him to attend the next meeting after he missed the discussion.

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