County affirms annual detention-site visit; ADC to host public open house and full-scale exercise

County staff reminded commissioners of a New Mexico statute requiring an annual governing-body visit to local detention facilities and said the county will present a resolution adopting inspection findings at the next meeting to meet that requirement.

Mr. Sawyer noted New Mexico statute 33-3-4 requires the governing body to make an annual visit to the jail. The county has completed most inspections and will present the formal resolution adopting findings for compliance at an upcoming meeting.

Separately, Adult Detention Center staff announced public engagement plans: an open house for the public on the tenth (noted as the tenth/eleventh in discussion) with refreshments and a short presentation; the first 15 attendees who pass a local-warrants check will be offered facility tours under a dress code. The ADC also will host a full-scale emergency exercise on Sept. 17 beginning at 8 a.m., open to invited first responders; attendees were asked to check their inboxes for invitations and officers confirmed a follow-up meal after the drill.

Juvenile services also reported a Legislative Finance Committee evaluator visited to review juvenile-detention operations and statewide capacity challenges; staff said the state has only four juvenile facilities and that capacity and statewide planning are ongoing topics.