Commissioners praise jail's progress but call for upgrades

The Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners gave the county detention center high marks, calling it clean and remarking about the courteousness of the staff. However, it said that some improvements were needed. 

The comments came from three commissioners during a meeting on Dec. 10, which was part of the yearly jail inspection report for the Dona Ana County Detention Center. 

County records show that commissioners Diana Murillo and Christopher Schaljo-Hernandez visited the jail on Nov. 13 for the yearly inspection. Commissioner Susana Chaparro, who works in the criminal justice industry, also gave her thoughts on what’s working and what isn’t. 

“This was my fourth inspection of the detention center, and (there’s been) great improvements since 2021 up to this year,” Murrillo said. 

Detention center records show that the jail houses around 600 to 800 people on any given day. Some are there for a few hours, while others wait months or years as their court cases drag on. 

Overall, the commissioners said the facility was very clean, the staff was very courteous and improvements to the jail floor and kitchen areas were well made. 

"I know that you all take pride in the facility, and I know that the individuals that work there take great pride in their work,” Schaljo-Hernandez said. 

Still, Murrillo and Schaljo-Hernandez highlighted the need to renovate the staff locker room areas. Chaparro reiterated that point and went further. 

She called the employee area “overcrowded” and said an expansion was needed. She also noted that the area of the jail reserved for attorneys to meet with clients was below par. 

“It’s just the same as it was 20 years ago,” Chaparro said. 

The board suggested they'd like to address some of those upgrades in the upcoming budget.