Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Sheriff Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bernalillo County sheriff reports 4,114 hours of welfare checks funded by $250,000 overtime allocation
Summary
Sheriff’s office told the county commission that $250,000 appropriated in the FY2024 budget funded welfare checks at schools, clinics and places of worship and 4,114 deputy hours of community engagement countywide; commissioners thanked staff and asked finance to note budget timing for possible continuation.
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office told the Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 11 that $250,000 the commission allocated in the FY2024 budget funded deputy overtime used for welfare checks at schools, clinics and places of worship and additional proactive enforcement in Old Town Albuquerque.
Under Sheriff Jareno said the county allocation supported a flexible community-engagement program that the office adapted to local needs. “The original allocation was $250,000 … for welfare checks at schools, places of worship, and clinics,” he said, and deputies used the funding to stop and go inside open facilities rather than only drive by.
The sheriff’s office reported 4,114 deputy hours on the welfare check program, 434 welfare checks and attendance at 233 school sporting events during the funded period. Under Sheriff Jareno said deputies carried out operations countywide, including in the unincorporated county and Albuquerque, and that the program led to arrests and recoveries of stolen vehicles in Old Town.
Sheriff John Allen introduced the presentation and described the work as a mix of community engagement and law enforcement. “We have a lot of hardworking people in our office that are committed to the vision,” Allen said.
Commissioners praised the results and urged staff to remember the item during the coming budget process. Commissioner Barbara Baca thanked the sheriff’s office for “being proactive” and said the deputies’ presence at youth sporting events helps families feel safe. Chair Olivas and Commissioner Frank Baca also commended the program and asked county finance staff to note that the funding will expire and could be considered in the next budget.
The sheriff’s office said it will provide the commission with the detailed deputy reports it has collected on each welfare-check shift.
