ALAMOGORDO, NM — Staff at the Otero County Detention Center are breaking their silence, issuing a desperate plea for help as they navigate what they describe as a "lethal" work environment. In a series of whistleblower reports to include a public letter addressed to Alamogordo Chief Kunihiro, (who has no authority over the county facility), but staff is desperate for training begging for assistance from anywhere it can be found.
Jail staff members are calling for immediate intervention from Alamogordo city officials out of desperation, claiming their own county leaders have ignored repeated warnings regarding safety and staffing.
Critical Understaffing and Safety Risks
According to a report delivered to the Otero County Commission during their March 12, 2026 meeting, the detention center is currently operating with at least eight full-time officer vacancies [26:31]. This chronic understaffing has led to a breakdown in facility security, with staff reporting that during half of the scheduled shifts, zero personnel are equipped with defensive tools like tasers or pepper spray.
Whistleblowers claim that inmates have become aware of these vulnerabilities and are capitalizing on the lack of "less-lethal" options, acting more aggressively toward the skeleton crews. "The fact we are not trained in OC [pepper spray], Taser, firearm, or any defensive driving is quite honestly asking for an officer to get injured or God forbid worse," one staff member wrote in a letter circulated...
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