El Paso County Sheriff's Office

Downtown Detention Facility (EPCDF)
The Downtown Detention Facility is located at 601. E. Overland, El Paso, TX 79901 (map), the Detention Facility has been open and operational since 1983. It is located across the street from federal courts, state district and county courts, Justice of the Peace court, and city municipal courts. The facility has over 310,440 square feet and a housing capacity of 1000 inmates. This facility has nine housing floors, three of which are designated for female housing. This facility also houses a Jail Magistrate Court, the Sheriff’s Office Warrants Section, Jail Ministry Section, Bond Inmate and Trust Section, and liaison offices for the U.S. Border Patrol and Adult Probation.
The El Paso County Detention Facility , a maximum security facility which has an operational design concept to receive unclassified persons, hold pretrial and convicted persons, and allow for processing, classifying and releasing persons at all times.
Programs and Services
There are a variety of services and programs available to our inmate population to include but not limited to twenty-four hour medical services, adult educational programs such as GED and ESL, Religious Programs, Work Programs, AA, NA, Law Library, Leisure Library, prepaid telephone and Commissary services.
Jail Diversion Resolution
Visitation
The visitation schedule for the El Paso County Detention Facility is:
Saturday
From 6:00pm to 9:00pm - odd floors (3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th)
Sunday
From 8:00am to 11:00am - odd floors (3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th)
Saturday
From 8:00am to 11:00am - even floors (4th, 6th, 8th, 10th)
Sunday
From 6:00pm to 9:00pm - even floors (4th, 6th, 8th, 10th)
Visitors must be 17 year of age or older.
Children's Visitation
Children 16 years of age or younger may visit on the 1st Saturday/Sunday of the month (morning visitation only) and designated holidays. An adult must accompany them:
Holiday Visitation (Morning and Evening Sessions)
Mother's Day
Father's Day
Easter
Christmas
• Visitors must show valid picture identification before being allowed to visit.
• Each visitor may visit once on any designated visiting day.
• Each individual visit will last 20 minutes.
• Visitors may leave money to be deposited on the inmate account.
• All personal belongings will be searched.
• All visitors will pass through the metal detector. If the metal detector alerts, the individual entering the facility will be subject to search of their person.
• Any person who is unwilling to submit to a search of hand carried property and/or is unwilling to pass through the metal detector will not be allowed to enter.
• All visitors must comply with the facility dress code which is:
a. No halter tops, tank tops, low-cut neckline, see-through blouses or sleeveless shirts
b. No short skirts/dresses or shorts
c. No clothing which portray pornography, sexually explicit, or derogatory message
The BITS window is open and available to issue reports Mon-Fri (excluding holidays) from 8AM to 4:45PM.
Inmate Telephone Service
If an individual wishes to deposit money on behalf of an inmate, he may do so by using the services offered through OffenderConnect.
What is OffenderConnect?
OffenderConnect is an authorized deposit and account management portal for the corrections industry. With several different deposit methods available, OffenderConnect is the quickest and most convenient option to fund your loved ones account. Purchasing money orders, mailing deposits and waiting several business days for the funds to post are now eliminated with OffenderConnect.
AdvancePay® Prepaid Telephone Accounts:
To accept calls from an inmate at this facility, we recommend you create an AdvancePay® prepaid telephone account. Prepaid calling works by placing money on your phone number so that when your inmate calls you the funds are deducted from the balance on your prepaid account.
To set up or fund a prepaid account, you have two options:
Web - visit www.OffenderConnect.com to create a prepaid telephone account, add funds to prepaid telephone accounts, view balances, and more.
Phone - call 1-800-483-8314 to create or add funds to an AdvancePay® prepaid telephone account.
GTL Inmate Family Prepay - English
GTL Inmate Family Prepay - Spanish
VINE
The Texas Statewide VINE system is a service through which victims of crime can use the telephone or Internet to search for information regarding the custody status of their offender and to register to receive telephone and e-mail notification when the offender’s custody status changes. The VINE toll-free number for the Texas Statewide VINE system is 877-894-8463. This service is provided to assist Victims of Crime who have a right to know about their offender's custody status.
Mail
Inmates may receive money orders, cashiers checks, US Treasury checks and checks from other Penal Institutions. Any cash, foreign checks, payroll checks or personal checks will be returned to sender along with any other contents in the envelope.
NEW - Mailing Address Changes:
Information Flyer - English
Information Flyer - Español
Question: How does the physical mail get delivered electronically?
Answer: The friend and family will need to send the mail to a new address. At this location the mail is scanned and delivered electronically to the command review queue. Staff will need to go into the review queue and read the scanned pdf and approve or deny. If the scan is not already assigned to the correct inmate, the staff will need to assign to the inmate. After approval the scan is delivered electronically to the inmate as a pdf in the facility msg app that is on the tablet. The inmate can review and read the scan for free in this app.

Question: What address do they send to?
Answer:
Name of facility, State
Inmate Name, Inmate Identifier
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131

Example:
El Paso County, Texas
John Doe #11111
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131

This address can be posted on your website along with the contact info for TextBehind.

Question: How does a friend and family get support?
Answer: To report any mail delivery issues, family & friends should contact TextBehind support directly at info@TextBehind.com. Inmates can also remind their family or friends to us this email address for all their support needs.
Incoming correspondence may be opened, inspected, and possibly read. The inspection will be performed before the mail is delivered. Inflammatory writing and hardcore pornography is prohibited. Such correspondence is defined as:
• That which aids in the construction or use of weapons, ammunition, bombs or incendiary devices;
• Material that could aid in escape from an institution, including plans, diagrams and blueprints of institutions or instructions in the commission of criminal activity;
• Words that depict or describe procedures for brewing alcohol or for making drugs;
• Writing that is in code;
• Prison union publications and/or any publication that incites the overthrow of any governmental unit in the USA; police, weapons, or hunting books and/or magazines.
The following will not be accepted:
• Plastic coated cards or any other plastic coated items;
• Tape or stickers on letters;
• Glue, paste or any other foreign substance or unknown residue on envelope or letter;
• Postage stamps, envelopes, writing paper or stationery items;
• Mail containing more than five (5) photos, or any Polaroid photos. Photos are not to exceed 5 by 7 inches in size, and cannot be obscene, nude or pornographic photos, pictures or drawings, or pictures or photos exposing undergarments;
• Posters; hardcover books; jewelry.
• Advertisements, solicitations, and other 3rd class bulk mail are prohibited.
• Mail that solicits employment for professional services.
• Mail that advertises goods and services.
• Electronic or digital photographs and those printed from a computer or copy machine are prohibited
The following will be accepted from a bookstore or authorized retailer:
• Newspapers,
• Soft cover books or magazines sent directly from the publisher or bookstore. Their return address must be stamped on the box, package etc., otherwise items will not be accepted.
Commissary
Commissary is passed out every Friday. All monies must be received before 4pm Thursday for inmate to purchase items.
Money can be deposited:
• Monday thru Friday 8am- 4:45pm
Important Phone Numbers
Inmate Information - 546-2212
Administration - 546-2228
Releasing - 546-2235
Bonding - 546-2213