EL PASO COUNTY – The El Paso County jail has reached a record high Tuesday with 1,880 inmates housed in the jail at 2739 East Las Vegas Street.

With today’s high inmate population, the jail is at a critical place in which additional bunks have been brought in to accommodate the growing numbers.

The last record for the highest inmate population was set in August 2018 with a total of 1,839 inmates.

The only jail in El Paso County houses inmates brought in from eight surrounding law enforcement agencies. With the growing number of inmates, the staff feels the pressure of too many people and not enough space or personnel.

Sheriff Elder previously stated, “These high numbers impact the safety of both staff and inmates as it increased the likelihood of fights and assaults within the jail.”

While the primary focus of the jail is to securely house the inmates, it is also focused on equipping and preparing inmates for rehabilitation through jail programs. This is one way the staff is working to lower the jail’s population by reducing recidivism in El Paso County.

“I’m proud of the way that my jail staff continuously works to maintain the safety of our inmate population. I am committed to working with members of the court, other law enforcement agencies, and community leaders to find alternative solutions to the growing inmate population,” Elder said.