The completion of the new Dallas County Jail has brought with it new opportunities and the ability to hold additional inmates. 

Dallas County Sheriff Chad Leonard says his staff has been operating in the newly completed jail for roughly one month and while there has been a slight learning curve with new equipment and layout there, they have the ability to hold additional inmates, which has reduced their need to send inmates to other county jail facilities. 

“We paid a lot of money out to other facilities, Polk County, Story County, Boone County, Guthrie County. I believe we had some in Marion (County and) we brought them everywhere and (this new jail) gets them all back under one roof. That’s a safety thing in itself we are not constantly having people on the road driving and picking people up.”

Leonard says in the future they could possibly open some bed space to take inmates from other jails and try to get revenue back by housing those inmates.