The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is currently facing a significant challenge: overtime expenses for jail operations have nearly doubled in the past two years, despite a decline in the number of inmates. This paradoxical situation has raised eyebrows among county administrators and sparked discussions about staffing needs and budget management.
From fiscal year 2026 to the current fiscal year, the average daily overtime spending has surged from $15,000 to $30,000. Simultaneously, the average daily jail population has decreased from 2,760 to 2,470. This discrepancy has led to concerns about the county’s budget and the sustainability of current staffing levels.
Understanding the Overtime Surge
The increase in overtime began when Sheriff Oscar Ugarte took office in January 2026following the retirement of longtime Sheriff Richard Wiles in 2026. Patrick Gailey, Chief Deputy of Detention, attributes the need for overtime to staffing shortages caused by retirements, resignations, and regular leave. However, the lower inmate population over previous years has not been directly addressed as a factor in reducing overtime.
Gailey explained, “When we took over in January of 2026, we came across some shortages that we felt we needed to address in staffing, so the quickest and easiest way to address it was to bring people in for overtime.” This approach, while effective in the short term, has raised questions about the long-term implications for the county’s budget.
County Administrators Seek Clarity
County Administrator Betsy Keller has expressed the need for a clearer justification for the increased staffing requests. “We’re in a back and forth with the sheriff right now, and he may have a good reason, but just like any of our departments, you can’t just come in and say, ‘I need it,’ right? You have to show us why you need it,” Keller stated. This dialogue highlights the tension between the Sheriff’s Office and county administrators over budgetary constraints and staffing needs.
The issue will be discussed at the County Commissioners Court meeting, where the Human Resources Department will propose a plan to address staffing shortages and reduce overtime. The proposal aims to provide a sustainable solution for the remaining fiscal year and beyond.
Steps to Reduce Overtime
The Sheriff’s Office has taken proactive steps to curb overtime spending. Since May 1, they have implemented measures such as limiting mandatory overtime and restricting volunteer overtime to peak periods. These efforts have already shown some results, with overtime spending decreasing from $346,000 in the last two weeks of April to $316,000 in the first two weeks of May.
Gailey emphasized the office’s commitment to reducing overtime, stating, “Our goal is to reduce it as far as we can for the remainder of the year, and then see what we can do going into the next fiscal year.” However, the county has maintained a freeze on adding new positions, which complicates the staffing situation.
The Sheriff’s Office currently has 518 funded jail positionswith 35 vacancies. About a third of these vacancies are due to employees taking other jobs, while others are attributed to retirements or further education pursuits. Gailey noted, “This job’s not for everybody. Once you get in there and you work 12 hours in a jail setting, it’ll take its toll on you if you’re not prepared for it.”
Keller believes that filling the current vacancies should be sufficient to meet staffing needs, but she remains unclear about the sheriff’s request for additional personnel. The Sheriff’s Office had requested 167 additional personnel for jail operations, which would have cost the county about $15 million. This request, along with another for 174 new personnel for the law enforcement bureau, was not approved by commissioners.
Sheriff Ugarte explained that the staffing needs estimates were based on departmental assessments, though no formal study or assessment has been conducted. The county is now considering a formal staffing study for the detention bureau, while Ugarte is also looking to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards for guidance.
County Commissioner Illiana Holguin expressed the need for a better understanding of the staffing requests, stating, “We did receive a request – a very large request for additional staffing, and we’re trying to understand really the need for that. Bookings have actually gone down and right now the jail is considered fully staffed according to the staffing table, so we’re, you know, trying to understand the need for the additional staffing that he’s asking for.”
Gailey and Keller are working together to find long-term solutions that will be sustainable for the county. “We don’t have any final answers yet,” Keller said, indicating that the discussion is ongoing.
The concerns about overtime spending were brought to the Commissioners Court by county administrators during a budget update in February. The public safety sector had spent almost 50% of its budget in the first five months of the fiscal year. County commissioners called for a special meeting with Ugarte and his office on April 16 to discuss the spending, but no action was taken following the closed-door discussion.
