EL PASO, Texas – (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 El Paso County commissioners are set to hear new recommendations today aimed at changing what happens after someone is arrested, before they are fully booked into jail.<\/p>\n
A recent evaluation of the county\u2019s pretrial justice system found success but also room for improvement. <\/p>\n
The system covers what happens from the time someone is arrested until they are booked, screened or released.<\/p>\n
Last year, the county contracted the Center for Effective Public Policy, or CEPP, to evaluate current procedures and recommend ways to make the process more efficient.<\/p>\n
FULL REPORT<\/p>\n
The review identified four possible areas for improvement.<\/p>\n
RECOMMENDED: El Paso County approves plan for up to 40 unfunded jail officer slots amid budget strain<\/a><\/p>\n One recommendation calls for expanding the use of DIMS, the District Attorney Intake Management System.<\/p>\n DIMS is a collaboration between law enforcement and the district attorney that allows prosecutors to see whether a charge has enough evidence to move forward with a case.<\/p>\n According to agenda documents, DIMS has been used more frequently since 2023.<\/p>\n However, CEPP found it is used in fewer than 40 percent of charges.<\/p>\n The report says that when DIMS is used, about 30 percent of charges are declined.<\/p>\n The presentation recommends expanding DIMS to 100 percent of eligible cases.<\/p>\n CEPP says that would impact daily admissions, which average 59 a day.<\/p>\n Another recommendation focuses on restructuring the booking process.<\/p>\n According to the review, the median time from arrival at the jail to completing the booking process is more than eight hours, keeping arresting officers off the street.<\/p>\n To help, CEPP recommends conducting a medical screening upon arrival.<\/p>\n After that, custody would transfer to the sheriff, allowing officers to return to patrol. <\/p>\n The recommendations also include using remote processing for some cases and expanding the use of citations or summons instead of arrests for certain low-level offenses.<\/p>\n The report says the changes could reduce unnecessary jail admissions and shorten detention times while preserving public safety. <\/p>\n FULL PRESENTATION<\/p>\n RECOMMENDED: El Paso police crisis intervention team responds to growing mental health 911 calls<\/a><\/p>\n