Denton County shifts $674,000 to jail overtime as sheriff warns of persistent staffing shortfall; court approves 287(g) MOA and telepsychiatry renewal

Denton County Commissioners Court on Wednesday approved a $674,000 transfer from salary-assistance accounts to overtime to keep the county jail operating while the sheriff’s office continues recruitment and retention efforts.

The transfer (budget amendment request 10,056) was presented by county staff as necessary to meet staffing requirements under the Texas jail standards and to cover overtime caused by vacancies, hospital watches and training absences. After extended discussion and questions from commissioners, the court voted unanimously to approve the amendment.

The sheriff, speaking to the court during a prolonged Q&A, said the jail is “stuck at 56%” staffed after several years of understaffing and described multiple drivers of overtime: employees on FMLA, two inmates currently in hospitals who require 24-hour officer watches, academy trainees who temporarily are not on duty while they train, and funded but unfilled positions. “There are a lot of factors,” the sheriff said. “That number keeps popping up. We’re trying. And we want to lower that.”

Commissioner Williams and Commissioner Mitchell asked for more frequent operational reports so the court can explain the costs to constituents. “People are asking us, you know, what’s going on? What are you doing?…We just want to know. We’re here to help you, and we’re gonna support, you know, your request,” Mitchell said.

Related actions approved by the court at the same meeting included: - A renewal of the placement agreement with Fast PSYCH LLC to provide telepsychiatry services for inmates and juvenile respondents for one year (03/14/2025–03/13/2026). County staff noted the weekly cost for 22 clinical hours is $3,590 and identified the applicable budget line items for funding. - Approval to participate in a 287(g) memorandum of agreement with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS/ICE). The sheriff described the 287(g) arrangement as a program that sends selected detention officers to ICE training; once trained, those officers can access immigration records and place detainers while continuing to ensure state criminal processes are completed first.

The sheriff told the court that about 16–20% of the jail population are subject to ICE holds. He emphasized that individuals in the county jail are there for state crimes and must complete any state adjudication before any federal immigration transfer.

Court members pressed the sheriff for regular, concise status reports (daily census, vacancy impacts, special assignments such as hospital watches) that could be shared with commissioners so they can better respond to public questions about overtime spending. The sheriff said he will provide a jail staffing report and work with county staff on a one-page dashboard to track vacancies and operational impacts.

No member of the court opposed any of the listed actions; motions for the budget amendment, telepsychiatry renewal and 287(g) agreement carried unanimously.