EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 El Paso County officials are seeking more details about overtime spending at the El Paso County Sheriff\u2019s Office after the agency ended the last fiscal year with a nearly $6 million deficit, with overtime cited as the main driver.<\/p>\n
Sheriff Oscar Ugarte said the department has relied on overtime to run certain special operations, including DWI enforcement, because it does not have a dedicated DWI unit.<\/p>\n
\u201cDWI is one of the biggest concerns for our community. The sheriff’s office does not have a dedicated DWI unit. So, I implemented these operations on overtime,\u201d Ugarte said. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou know, my goal is to have a fully funded DWI task force where they’re actually working on regular duty instead of funding them through overtime.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ugarte said the sheriff\u2019s office is shifting positions in an effort to cut overtime costs while still meeting state requirements.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re still meeting all the mandates through the state, but the reassignment of those personnel, we believe that it will reduce the number of overtimes approximately 40%,\u201d Ugarte said.<\/p>\n
The reduction is expected to come from moving operations officers to the downtown jail and annex to help cover staffing needs.<\/p>\n
RECOMMENDED: <\/a>El Paso County Sheriff\u2019s Office nears fiscal year end with projected $5.9M deficit<\/a><\/p>\n Even with that change, the sheriff\u2019s office is still requesting overtime funding for special operations this fiscal year, including preplanned DWI operations and Red Sands operations.<\/p>\n The total request for special operations is about $356,000. More than $220,000 of that is for DWI operations, including more than $39,000 for DWI contingencies.<\/p>\n More than $93,000 is for Red Sands operations.<\/p>\n El Paso County Commissioner Sergio Coronado said commissioners did not take action on the requested funds as they continue to seek more information.<\/p>\n \u201cEspecially the DWI operations and special ops the sheriff has done. I think those are needed,\u201d Coronado said. \u201cWe just need a little bit more information.\u201d<\/p>\n Coronado said commissioners are generally on board with DWI and special operations but want more details before approving additional overtime. <\/p>\n He also raised concerns about the time involved in DWI arrests.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen somebody makes an arrest on a DWI, it takes them out of patrol,\u201d Coronado said.<\/p>\n RECOMMENDED: <\/a>El Paso County sheriff’s office projects $4.1M deficit; shortfall up $550K in a week<\/a><\/p>\n As county officials continue reviewing the nearly $6 million deficit, Coronado said they are still trying to determine whether issues at the sheriff\u2019s office justify that amount.<\/p>\n \u201cWhether those issues rise to the amount of the $6 million that the sheriff’s office did for this past year? I don’t know. My position is from what H.R. told us is probably not,\u201d Coronado said.<\/p>\n The sheriff\u2019s office also addressed questions about its new fleet. <\/p>\n Ugarte said the vehicles were funded through a pre-approved project and did not affect the budget.<\/p>\n \u201cThis purchase did not add to the deficit. It was a pre-approved capital improvement project where the funding was allocated for those units. But it’s a replacement plan. The sheriff’s office has over 400 vehicles that we need to replace where they’re being used 24\/7,\u201d Ugarte said.<\/p>\n County officials said they are still reviewing final numbers from the last fiscal year and want the sheriff\u2019s office to provide more information about overtime moving forward.<\/p>\n