Hollywood Park police told the City Council they have encountered repeated instances where the county jail refused to accept arrested persons, creating operational strain for the small town department and sometimes forcing officers to release suspects while filing cases later with the county district attorney.

Police Chief Pritchard described multiple recent incidents in which the jail rejected arrests for medical reasons or because the jail’s fingerprint system could not confirm identity. In one case, the department arrested a person wanted in New York on felony charges; after initial intake the jail refused custody citing a medical clearance issue, then later declined to accept the person because their fingerprint reader could not confirm identity against out-of-state records. Chief Pritchard said the U.S. Marshals ultimately took custody and arranged transport to New York. The chief said those rejections can leave Hollywood Park officers tied up for many hours on a single arrest — sometimes as long as 18 hours — and that has led to increased use of a practice called “file at large,” in which officers collect evidence and submit cases to the district attorney rather than holding the suspect in custody.

"We had to brainstorm and figure out how to resolve this because we're not gonna let this person get go back into the community after they've been on the run for 2 years," Chief Pritchard said, describing interagency coordination with the Marshals Service. He also said the department has started asking for sheriff- and DA-level action and suggested the town could consider public messaging about how local jail rejections affect public safety.

Council members asked whether the town should hold a press conference to inform residents about the issue. Chief Pritchard and other council members said they already have tried raising the subject with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and the district attorney in meetings and emails and that additional public attention might be warranted; the mayor’s office will consider any formal press action.

Ending: Council members asked staff to explore possible next steps to reduce officer on-scene time and to consider options for registering formal complaints or notifying county leadership if the pattern continues.