Sheriff Enrique "Kiki" Vigil addressing the Doa Ana County Board of

Commissioners on Dec. 8, 2015:

Good morning, Doa Ana County Board of Commissioners, Mr. Chairman. It is my duty as the elected county
sheriff to provide you with a briefing of a critical incident that has transpired this morning. At approximately 6:30
a.m., elements of the Doa Ana County Sheriff's response team and the white collar public corruption task force
executed a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Christopher Barela, Doa Ana County Detention Center Director.
This task force is comprised of members of the Doa Ana County District Attorney's Office and the Doa Ana
County Sheriff's Department. This investigation is ongoing, and we anticipate it may result in more arrests and
indictments. Several other high-ranking officials are persons of interest in this ongoing investigation.
A forensic audit of a financials matters pertaining to the operation of the detention center has been authorized by
the New Mexico State Auditor and will begin today. The district attorney has informed me that the New Mexico
Attorney General has been fully briefed in regards to this ongoing investigation.
I'm hereby invoking my powers pursuant to Sec. 4-41-2 and related New Mexico statutes. Pursuant to these laws
and under the common law, I am empowered and invested as a conservator of peace for this county to take
emergency precautions that in this instance include taking over immediate command of the county detention
center.
Due to the circumstances, my office has assumed this command as a matter of public safety and trust until a
complete investigation and security threat assessment can be achieved. As of 8 o'clock a.m. this morning,
members of my incident command staff including but not limited to a mobile command center from the Doa Ana
County Sheriff's Department, acting in concert with consultant experts in detention and corrections, are present
and fully active and the detention center.
As a matter of public safety and maintaining the security of the institution, I've authorized both the acquisition and
lockdown of this facility. I have conferred with the district attorney's office; by statute and common law I'm in my
legal authority and purview to take this action.
I am hereby requesting the full cooperation of county management and particularly you the county commissioners
to assist in these investigations. As a result of Mr. Barela's arrest, it should be the duty of county management to
place him on administrative leave, pending the outcome of this investigation and legal proceedings.
We'll request both the prosecution and the court to impose a protective order on Mr. Barela from making any
contact with employees in the detention center or witnesses in this case. By order of my office, he will not be
permitted entrance or access into this facility. This is pursuant to the best practices and procedures and to protect
evidence and witnesses on this ongoing investigation. I anticipate your cooperation and ask that you direct county
management to cooperate fully during this ongoing investigation.
I will report to frequently on the status of the threat assessment and progress of the operations at the detention
center. I will also be keeping the media informed on developments to the extent possible without compromising
the integrity of this investigation. I thank you all.