Jail officials seek new prisoners
Facility faces $30,000 a month loss in revenue

Offcer Rebecca Duboise fingerprints an inmate in the booking area of the Gallup-McKinley Adult Detention Center Friday. The detention center is looking for new prisoners to replace those from Sierra County, which will now be housed in Cibola County. (Photo by John A. Bowersmith/Independent)

By Leslie Wood
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Gallup-McKinley Adult Detention Center officials must find compensation for a $30,000 monthly loss in revenue due to Sierra County's recent decision to no longer house inmates at the facility.

The detention center previously housed a daily average of 22 Sierra County inmates as part of contractual agreement between the two counties. However, Sierra County officials decided against renewing the contract, which is eligible for renewal each year.

McKinley County's Warden Donna Goodrich said the center will lose between $30,000 to $40,000 a month in funding because of Sierra County's decision. Sierra County officials, instead, opted to house their inmates at Cibola County's detention facility because of its location.

"It's supposedly closer," Goodrich said.

She said when judges want inmates to appear in court, it's more timely and convenient to transport them from a nearby detention center.

Goodrich also plans to continue soliciting inmates from jails on the reservation and neighboring counties before the financial loss impacts the Gallup location too heavily.

"I am diligently trying to find other prisoners," she said.

McKinley County Manager Tom Trujillo said Sierra County's decision came after they issued a request for proposals and then accepted the one provided by Cibola County.

More than 100 beds remain vacant at the jail and jail board members are looking to increase funding by housing the facility at or near capacity.

Goodrich said local arrests and bookings into the jail have increased within the last three days, which has lessened the impact of the loss of Sierra County inmates.

"We've had between 20 and 30 bookings a day," she said. "Every time I go in there, someone is being booked in."

The most recent head count at the facility was 150, which is more than average for the facility.

The jail board also met in executive session on Thursday to discuss the recent loss of medical personnel, Goodrich said.

The board's next monthly meeting will be Feb. 14 at 5 p.m.