El Paso County is stepping up its game in the fight against impaired driving with the launch of its first-ever DWI Task Force, under the leadership of Sheriff Oscar Ugarte. Recognizing the repeated concerns expressed by citizens during his campaign, Sheriff Ugarte announced the initiative in a recent social media post, confirming the collaborative effort of this new task force structured to make local roads safer.
During a weekend operation, the task force, which included deputies from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Horizon City Police Department and various Constables' Offices, managed to swiftly secure 36 arrests. The arrested individuals faced a variety of charges, with collectively set bonds reaching $220,000, a clear indicator that the law enforcement agencies are determined to enforce their intolerance for impaired driving in El Paso County.
According to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, the offenses ranged from Driving While Intoxicated and DWI with Child Under 15 YOA, to Possession of Illegal Narcotics and Fugitive from Justice. The task force, an inter-agency collaboration, was a result of cooperative efforts by officers often working overtime. They targeted high-risk areas during peak times to yield a significant impact on the community's safety.
The task force's robust enforcement activities currently result from overtime work by officers, indicating an absence of a full-time DWI Task Force. However, Sheriff Ugarte has indicated plans to formally seek funding from the Commissioners Court during the next fiscal year to establish a full-time task force dedicated to year-round enforcement and prevention efforts. "This task force reflects what we can achieve when local law enforcement agencies unite behind a common goal—keeping our residents safe," Ugarte explained, as per the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. "The community asked us to act on DWIs, and we listened. These arrests send a clear message: if you drive impaired in El Paso County, you will be held accountable. We’re just getting started."
