{"id":109739,"date":"2015-12-17T12:39:40","date_gmt":"2015-12-17T19:39:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=109739"},"modified":"2015-12-18T08:27:21","modified_gmt":"2015-12-18T15:27:21","slug":"county-releases-video-photos-of-sheriff-taking-over-jail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2015\/12\/county-releases-video-photos-of-sheriff-taking-over-jail\/","title":{"rendered":"County releases video, photos of sheriff taking over jail"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A<\/a>

Courtesy photo<\/p>

A screen shot from a security camera at the Do\u00f1a Ana County Detention Center showing officers from the Sheriff’s Department taking control of the facility on Dec. 8.<\/p><\/div>\n

Do\u00f1a Ana County has released photos and videos from security cameras that show the moments the Sheriff’s Department took control of the county jail\u00a0earlier this month<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The images and video, which NMPolitics.net obtained through a public records request, show an armored BearCat<\/a>\u00a0among the sheriff’s vehicles outside the Do\u00f1a Ana County Detention Center<\/a>\u00a0on the morning of Dec. 8. They also show\u00a0about 20 officers walking through the facility. The officers don’t have guns drawn, but some\u00a0are dressed in tactical\u00a0gear.<\/p>\n

After his department arrested jail Administrator Chris Barela at his home that morning on charges including\u00a0embezzlement or fraud<\/a>,\u00a0Sheriff Enrique “Kiki” Vigil issued an executive order<\/a> taking control of the jail and its employees, and placing the facility on lockdown. Any employee who didn’t cooperate was threatened with removal from the premises and possible prosecution.<\/p>\n

Vigil’s\u00a0order stated that\u00a0he was trying to ensure “public safety and security”\u00a0following Barela’s arrest. Vigil told the media he intended to hand control of the jail back to county administration after 2-3 days.<\/p>\n

Later on Dec. 8, Judge Manuel I. Arrieta issued a temporary restraining order stating that\u00a0Vigil was \u201cwithout any legal authority\u201d to interfere\u00a0with the administration\u00a0of the jail. It required him to return control to county management immediately — which Vigil did.<\/p>\n

Arrieta ordered Vigil and county administration to appear in court this Friday at 4 p.m. “for a hearing on whether an extended restraining order will be issued.”<\/p>\n

The videos<\/h3>\n

Here are videos showing the takeover:<\/p>\n