Bernalillo County searching for new MDC chief

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A nationwide search has begun to find someone to take over duties at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Bernalillo County.

On Friday, it was announced former chief Greg Richardson was retiring and MDC Director of Administrative Services Rosanne Otero Gonzales will be taking over as interim chief for the time being.

A county spokesperson says The Whalls Group, which specializes in correctional personnel searches, has been selected to find the new chief and will begin that process soon.

This comes at a time when MDC continues to face critically low staffing levels according to the Union President Joseph Trujeque.

Recently, Bernalillo County voted on an emergency resolution to hire 13 staff members, but Trujeque claims that will do very little to alleviate the issues.

In an interview with him near the end of June, Trujeque said, “We’ve had ten officers quit in the last three weeks. How’s thirteen officers going make a difference in six months?”

Some of the other options that are being considered from the county are getting additional funding to upgrade technology at MDC and increase the budget of the recruitment department.