By Kamira LaNay
Correspondent
Texas Metro News
Dallas City Councilmembers discussed a $9.3 million proposed payment to Dallas County on Wednesday, Oct. 14, to cover the cost of processing and maintaining city prisoners at the Lew Sterrett Criminal Justice Center for Oct. 1, 2026 through Sept. 30, 2027.
During the discussion, council members raised concerns about hospital delays, officer wait times and how the city plans to track the county’s performance under the agreement.
When Dallas police officers take someone in custody to the hospital, they may have to wait hours before returning to their regular duties.
Councilmember Cara Mendelsohn questioned whether the city has enough information to understand how often these delays happen and hold Dallas County accountable.
Mendelsohn wanted to know what had changed since last year and whether the city had a way to make sure the county was meeting its responsibilities.
Deputy Chief Monica Igo said the city submitted proposed performance measures to the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office earlier this year, but the measures were still waiting for legal review.
“Until we get the metrics reviewed by the legal team, we are not able to move forward at this time,” Igo said.
Igo said the Sheriff’s office has a SHOT team stationed at Parkland Hospital to relieve Dallas police officers when a person in custody receives a hospital room. She said the team is notified when a jail supervisor becomes aware that relief is needed and has 24 hours to respond, although the team sometimes responds within hours.
Mendelsohn questioned whether that process was addressed dealing with where people are turned away at the nurse line, leaving officers waiting without knowing how long the process will take. “I can’t say we have accountability when we don’t,” she said, as she questioned how the city could hold the county accountable without knowing how often these situations occur.
Police Chief Daniel C. Comeaux said the department is looking at ways to better track hospital transports and how long officers wait at hospitals. City officials are also working to set up a meeting with Parkland leaders to discuss ways to reduce delays and make the process run more smoothly.
Staff said the current payment calculation was based on fiscal year 2025 activity. Meanwhile, the city and county were continuing to work through the agreement’s terms.
Officials said they planned to continue working with Dallas County and Parkland Hospital before bringing additional information back to council.
Kamira LaNay is a 2026 Journalism and Communications graduate of Morgan State University. She will spend the next year as a Texas Metro News Fellow.
