Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center Inmate Search

The Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center serves Bernalillo County- the most populous county in New Mexico. It is located 10 miles west of Albuquerque and stands on a rural mesa. It is the largest public facility in Bernalillo County. It is a medium security city jail. Prisoners are adults over 18 years of age who are serving a sentence of eighteen months or less. Inmates also include those who are awaiting trial at the Metropolitan Court. Their sentences are pronounced under the State law of the state of New Mexico by judges at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court located in downtown Albuquerque. The prison is maintained and operated by the Bernalillo county government.

Construction of the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center was completed in the year 2002. The structure replaced the crowded county Jail near the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court. It was at first operated and maintained by the City of Albuquerque. Today it is maintained and operated by the Bernalillo county. The prison campus covers an area of 500.000 square feet. Over 500 staff work at the facility in different capacities and the center houses over 2000 inmates. Inmates are allowed two visits in a week. Visiting inmates begin only after the prisoner has been in the prison for 72 hours. Visitation hours are from 8.00 am to 1.15 pm and from 4.00 pm to 7.15pm. Only three people are allowed at each visit and the prison has a strict dress code for visitors.

The Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detentio Center has been directed to follow certain requirements by a judgement in the 1995 lawsuit, McClendon versus City of Albuquerque. The court has directed the center to have a population of 1950 inmates only. They have directed the center to ensure that three inmates are not placed in one cell, two high risk and security threat inmates will not be placed in a single cell, two inmates who are in protective custody and segregated should not be placed in the same cell, unclassified inmates should not be placed in the same cell and segregated inmates and except during a detoxification period, no inmates can sleep in day rooms. The center has made considerable progress in complying with the judgement since 1995. There is a McClendon Executive Action Committee with attorneys, administrative staff and supervisors that meets once a month to monitor the progress made by the center in complying with the judgement.