Sheriff warns court-security vacancies and Metro Air funding gap; launches enforcement on Route 66

Lede: Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen told the Board of County Commissioners on April 10 the SheriffOffice is actively recruiting for 25 sworn positions but remains short-staffed in court-security specialists, which the sheriff described as "a red flag." He said the office is covering courtroom security shortfalls with overtime that totals about $1 million annually.

Nut graf: The sheriff said federal and state earmarks that supported Metro Air operations have been delayed, leaving a recurring gap of roughly $1.2 million to $1.3 million for air support and related equipment. He asked the commission to consider recurring support of $450,000 to stabilize the unit while additional funding avenues are pursued. Commissioners and the county manager discussed longer-term options, including reassigning resources to reduce overtime by hiring for hard-to-fill positions.

Body: The sheriff described operational priorities including retaining sworn deputies, expanding civilian technical staff to support new technologies (license-plate readers, real-time operations center), and sustaining the Metro Air unit used for air missions across the county. He said Metro Air had been conducting three missions a week and that the unit's operating costs have risen with fuel and equipment needs. Sheriff Allen also described concentrated enforcement in the International District and along Central/Route 66, citing narcotics and open-air drug use as drivers of the targeted operations. The county's speed camera program and data-driven enforcement were discussed as partners to road-safety goals.

Ending: Commissioners praised the sheriff's leadership and asked staff to return with options that weigh the trade-offs between recurring investments in hiring versus overtime expenditures, and to explore targeted technology investments that could act as force multipliers for traffic enforcement and public safety.