GROVETON, Texas (KTRE) - Trinity County commissioners held a workshop to discuss possibly shutting down the county jail, with an initial plan to take a vote at their next monthly meeting.
The conversation grew tense, with commissioners and Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace trading arguments for more than an hour over costs, public safety and what would happen if the facility closed.
Ultimately, a commissioner moved to table the discussion so the sheriff and commissioners can take a closer look at the jail budget and determine whether expenses can be reduced before any final decision is made.
The pause effectively pushes the debate into budget season, which county leaders indicated typically begins around June and runs through October.
Wallace told commissioners the county has made too many arrests and poured too much money into the jail to close it without a clear backup plan, arguing the risk to public safety would be too high.
Commissioners said the county is already well over budget, pointing to spending that has exceeded planned levels and questioning whether it makes sense to continue investing in an aging facility.
A budget snapshot showed totals for inmate housing and related categories exceeding $2 million since 2024, with $1,896 listed as pending.
Several law enforcement representatives and community members also voiced the need for a local jail, while both sides said the state may need to help.
https://www.ktre.com/2026/04/07/trinity-county-weighs-closing-jail-budget-overruns-mount/