At Tuesday’s Doña Ana County Board of Commissioner’s meeting, an update was given on current litigation filed against Sheriff Kim Stewart. Scott Brocato has more.
UPDATE: KRWG Public Media reached out to Sheriff Kim Stewart via email for a response to this story. Her office sent us the following statement:
Dona Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart announced Monday, February 24, 2025, that she appointed Robert C. Parra as Undersheriff to the recently vacated position. Mr. Parra brings a wealth of law enforcement experience having served both in county and state government.
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.
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.
