Renovation project coming to El Paso County’s jail

El Paso County commissioners this week approved funding for the first step in a project to improve safety, security, and technology at the county’s Criminal Justice Center.

During their regular Tuesday meeting, commissioners allocated $236,000 in revenue generated by a public safety sales tax.

The money will pay for the design phase of upgrades for the detention center, including increased security at the reception desk, better locks, and controls for doors and improved surveillance cameras.

The jail opened in 1987 and received its last renovation in 2005.

The design phase will determine the actual cost of the upcoming renovation, and establish start and end dates for the project.

Sheriff Bill Elder listed jail improvements among his top priorities for 2019, with overcrowding as an emphasis.

Currently, there are no plans — and little discussion — about the possibility of building a new county jail.

“But doing this project will keep our staff safe, keep inmates safe and prevent issues from becoming a public threat,” said Jail Bureau Chief Clif Northam.

The jail has a bed capacity of 1,700 and was at 1,607 inmates as of Wednesday afternoon. The jail has not exceeded capacity and released inmates early since 2007.

Northam said around half of the jails inmates are homeless or have mental health issues.

“We’ve got to make it a priority to find a safe place to put them outside of the jail system,” said Larry Borland, the Sheriff’s Office administrator.