Walker County Sheriff's Office asked the Commissioners Court June 30 to address persistent gaps in courthouse bailiff coverage as court dockets and training demands have grown.

Sheriff (name not specified) told commissioners the county now runs more and heavier court dockets than in the past and that existing bailiff coverage is strained. "We are having court a lot more, than we've ever had in the past," the sheriff said, noting multiple, simultaneous district dockets, training demands and staff absences that can leave courts without a consistent bailiff presence.

The sheriff told the court that relying on deputies pulled from other units for regular courtroom coverage places strain on patrol and transport operations. He also described the sheriff's challenge of filling courtroom shifts while not undermining core public‑safety patrol staffing.

County Judge (name not specified) and several commissioners responded that the issue touches multiple elected offices and justice partners. The judge urged a collaborative approach: "Let that group sit down like they were brought in to evaluate it like we didn't have one, and let's see what tumbles out of it," he said, suggesting constables, district judges, representatives of the sheriff's office and county staff meet to design a bailiff model appropriate for current workload and growth.

Commissioners and the sheriff agreed to form a workgroup to evaluate options and costs, including: (1) whether to repurpose or add staff; (2) how to rely on constables versus sheriff's deputies for courtroom security; (3) use of on‑call arrangements for large dockets; and (4) budget impacts of adding dedicated bailiffs. The court did not approve a new staffing appropriation at the meeting; Commissioners asked staff to arrange the group and report back with recommended models and estimated fiscal impact.

Sheriff and county leaders also discussed related court operations topics, including how transport deputies are stretched by out‑of‑state transports and increased jail population, and recent state jail‑reform bills that may affect local detention numbers and operations.

The court directed staff to schedule a workgroup meeting that includes representatives from the sheriff's office, the constables, district judges, court administration and budget staff to identify options and cost estimates for Commissioners Court consideration.