The inmate population at the El Paso County Jail reached a new high Monday at 1,839 inmates, according to the sheriff’s office.
The previous record of 1,791 inmates was set in August 2017. The new record-high number puts pressure on inmates and staff, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
“The only jail in El Paso County is again bursting at the seams,” Sheriff Bill Elder said.
The population of the jail has steadily increased over the past five years as the daily population increased from 1,375 inmates in 2012 to 1,839 as of today.
The jail, at 2739 E. Las Vegas Street, is at a critical point in terms of safety as increased numbers of inmates in over-crowded conditions leads to more fights and assaults, the sheriff said.
“My number one priority is the impact this situation has on our deputies in the jail. We will continue to focus on jail staffing until we find a more permanent solution,” Elder said. “Building a new jail or adding to the existing facility is just not an option. My jail command staff and I continue to explore and implement ways to manage our jail population, including moving inmates to other facilities within the state.”
