Running under the slogan “Born to serve, qualified to lead and dedicated to making a difference,” Mary Lou Carrillo announced Monday morning that she will run for the office of El Paso County Sheriff.
Carrillo, who is a 24-year veteran of the police force, made the announcement in front of the county courthouse this morning. In making the announcement she released a statement touting her experience, which has taught her "what works and what doesn’t work.”
“I will bring a vision of commitment to those I serve by looking at the very basic and fundamental problems truly affecting our families. Prime examples of such innovation are the Civil Gang Injunction which I implemented in one of the city’s high crime neighborhoods,” she said Monday morning, reading from her prepared statement. The initiative, according to Carrillo, dropped burglaries in the area by 33 percent.
Carrillo says she also wants to strengthen relationships with other agencies that have helped to make El Paso the second safest city in the country.
Carrillo is a Ysleta High School graduate and attended UTEP and El Paso Community College. According to the press release, some of the awards she has received include the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award, the FBI Director’s Award for Exceptional Service in the Public Interest and the Texas Attorney General’s ‘Peace Officer of the Year.’ Carrillo was also the only woman on the EPPD SWAT Team and was in charge of the city’s bomb squad.
Carrillo’s campaign can also be found online at carrillo4sheriff.com. The website is currently under construction.
She joins a crowded field that includes former El Paso Police Chief Carlos Leon, and former Police Lt. Gabriel Serna. In addition, Police Chief Richard Wiles will retire soon, and is a likely candidate. Al Patiño, a former U.S. Marshal, also is in the race, and the El Paso Times reported that Maria Guadalupe Dempsey and Jose Ramirez are candidates as well.
Background stories:
-- Oct. 1, 2007, Gabriel Serna announcement story
-- Sept. 12, 2007, Sheriff Samaniego retirement announcement story
-- Aug. 28, 2007 Carlos Leon announcement
