EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office has a new undersheriff.
Sheriff Kim Stewart, who has been in a dispute with the County over personnel matters, said she has appointed Robert C. Parra as the new undersheriff.
“Mr. Parra brings a wealth of law enforcement experience having served both in county and state government,” a news release from Stewart’s office said.
He succeeds Tessa Abeyta, who served in the role for 13 months. Abeyta had served one term on the Las Cruces City Council before losing a bid for re-election in 2023.
“Former Undersheriff Tessa Abeyta served with distinction for 13 months before accepting another position. Her contribution to DASO was significant despite the limited time she was here. She will be missed by all,” the news release said.
This comes amidst a dispute over personnel matters in the Sheriff’s Office.
This past Friday, Doña Ana County announced that it was taking Stewart to court and seeking a petitition for a writ of mandamus to “make sure that recent graduates of the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Acadmey are able to begin serving as deputies.”
“This action follows Sheriff Kim Stewart’s written notice that she would not commission them,” the County said.
As part of the DASO’s news release announcing Parra’s appointment, the Sheriff’s Office also said that the County was seeking an “external audit” and called for a mediator to be retained.
Here is the rest of what the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office had to say:
“Finally, we are very pleased to hear the Board of County Commissioners are seeking an external audit. It is suggested that the external auditors’ work be extended to include Human Resources and the Legal Department as these departments are regularly impacted by these partnerships. Sheriff Stewart is not the first in her Office to have challenging experiences with county government and has requested numerous times over the years for a mediator to be retained. Her request is now likely to materialize sooner than later. It is also imperative that DASO should be given the opportunity to collectively agree on a fair and unbiased external auditor.
“DASO is willing to work closely with county management in order to maintain consistent cohesiveness as we continue to move forward.”
We have reached out to Doña Ana County for comment.
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