The Ector County Sheriff’s Office recently granted the Odessa American the opportunity to participate in the department’s ride along program to capture a day in the life of a deputy during their shift. Deputy Keith Hinojos began his 12-hour shift at 7 a.m. Wednesday, November 17, and was tasked with patrolling Ector County with the rest of the members of the ECSO’s Shift 4. Shift 4 is currently comprised of nine members, including a lieutenant and sergeant, who patrol an area of approximately 902 square miles. Ector County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a variety of calls on Wednesday ranging from thefts, burglaries, disturbances, sexual assaults, traffic violations, drug related crimes and more.
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Deputy Patrick Gillis, left, updates his fellow deputies on the previous night’s events and list of stolen vehicles with Deputy Ishmael Flores, center, and Deputy Nicholas Herrera as they prepare start their shift Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 at the Ector County Sheriff’s Office. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Deputy Keith Hinojos logs in to the Ector County Sheriff’s Office dispatch network on his service issued laptop at the start of his shift Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 at the Ector County Sheriff’s Office. Hinojos has spent 6 years total with the sheriff’s department, starting as a jailor and then transferring to Odessa Police Department before returning to the ECSO as a patrol deputy. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Deputy Keith Hinojos inspects his patrol vehicle as he starts his 12-hour shift Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 at the Ector County Sheriff’s Office. At the start of each shift, each deputy is required to inspect their vehicle for damage and cleanliness to help ensure the safety of officers and suspects alike. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Deputy Keth Hinojos, left, helps carry a stock tank for Glenna Horner after responding to a burglary call Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in West Odessa. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Deputy Keth Hinojos, left, helps carry a stock tank for Glenna Horner after responding to a burglary call Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in West Odessa. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Deputy Keith Hinojos grabs water bottles from a cooler as he stops at a gas station while on a short break during his shift Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 at the Kent Kwik on North Roundup Avenue and West University Boulevard. Hinojos says some shifts can be so busy with calls that he’ll go without anything but water for an entire 12 hours. Other days, he may have enough time to grab lunch through a drive-through. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Ector County Sheriff’s Office deputies respond to a disturbance call Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in West Odessa. Dispatch reported that a woman had claimed her neighbor had been yelling and beating on the door of her trailer but was not present when deputies arrived to investigate. After deputies could not make contact with the aggressor, the Ector County Sheriff’s Office cleared the scene and moved on to a waiting call. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Ector County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Nicholas Herrera, left, listens to a West Odessa resident as she gives a timeline of events during a domestic argument with her partner Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 on North Alexander Avenue in West Odessa. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Ector County Sheriff’s deputies perform a felony traffic stop on a vehicle near the intersection of Interstate 20 and FM 1936 Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in West Odessa. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Ector County Sheriff’s deputies inspect a disasembled firearm after performing a felony traffic stop on a vehicle with stolen license plates near the intersection of Interstate 20 and FM 1936 Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in West Odessa. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Deputies Keith Hinojos, left, and Sean Enloe, right, listen to a West Odessa resident after responding to her call regarding a theft Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in West Odessa. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Deputy Keith Hinojos, left, takes a statement from a woman who came to collect property from her stolen vehicle that was involved in a traffic accident Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in front of the Lowe’s Grocery Store on Grant Avenue. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Deputy Keith Hinojos, right, talks to the owner of Protech Undercar Care Larry Eads after he witnessed a man run from a stolen vehicle that was involved in a traffic accident Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in front of the Lowe’s Grocery Store on Grant Avenue. Deputy Hinojos visited the business to collect security footage of the event in hopes that it would lead to an arrest in the auto theft. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Deputy Keith Hinojos talks to his sergeant on the phone while reviewing the evidence in an auto theft case that ended in an accident on Grant Avenue Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in Odessa, Texas. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
From left, Ector County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Donald Alsbrooks, Deputy Nicholas Herrera and Deputy Keith Hinojos discuss and verify evidence while responding to a disturbance call Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in West, Odessa. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Deputy Keith Hinojos, right, talks with Lexus Gish as she is taken into custody for the possession of a controlled substance Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in West Odessa. During the call, Ector County Sheriff’s deputies detained two individuals, one of whom was later taken to Medical Center Hospital after overdosing on methamphetamine. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Ector County Sheriff’s deputy Keith Hinojos, left, talks with the owner of an RV park where two individuals were taken into custody Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in West Odessa. One individual was booked into the Ector County Law Enforcement Center and the other was taken to Medical Center Hospital after overdosing on methamphetamine. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Ector County Sheriff’s Deputy Patrick Gillis assists a man in custody as he begins to overdose on methamphetamine following his arrest at an RV park Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in West Odessa. Odessa Fire Rescue responded to the scene and the man was then taken to Medical Center Hospital where he later recovered. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Ector County Sheriff’s Deputy Keith Hinojos walks Lexus Gish to booking Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 at the Ector County Law Enforcement Center. Gish was charged with possession of a controlled substance belonging to penalty group 1 in an amount under one gram. Penalty group 1 substances include cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, MDMA, LSD, PCP and possession for an amount under one gram can be punishable by 180 days to 2 years in a state jail and a fine less than $10,000. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Ector County Sheriff’s Deputy Keith Hinojos walks Lexus Gish to booking Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 at the Ector County Law Enforcement Center. Gish was charged with possession of a controlled substance belonging to penalty group 1 in an amount under one gram. Penalty group 1 substances include cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, MDMA, LSD, PCP and possession for an amount under one gram can be punishable by 180 days to 2 years in a state jail and a fine less than $10,000. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Deputy Keith Hinojos fills out his daily patrol report in his squad car behind a retail store as he nears the end of his 12-hour shift Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in West Odessa. The daily patrol report includes details on every reportable call the deputy attended and acted in. Deputy Hinojos responded to 11 calls Wednesday, contributing to his shift’s 53 total calls distributed between 9 patrol officers. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Deputy Keith Hinojos tops off his squad car with gas as he makes his way back to the Ector County Sheriff’s Office for his end-of-shift debrief Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 in West Odessa. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Deputy Keith Hinojos, right, hands over the keys to his squad car to fellow deputy N. Villarreal as he comes off shift and prepares to take part in debriefing Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 at the Ector County Sheriff’s Office. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Deputy Nicholas Herrera stands at the doorway to his lieutenant’s office as he comes off shift on the night of Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 at the Ector CountY Sheriff’s Office. Herrera is part of the department’s Shift 4 which is made up of 9 individuals who provide law enforcement for the entirety of Ector County including smaller communities such as Gardendale, Goldsmith, Penwell and Pleasant Farms. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
