Sheriff's Office

The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office provides countywide law enforcement, jail operations, criminal investigations, court security, inmate services, public records access, community safety programs, and specialized public services throughout Tarrant County. Residents, family members of inmates, crime victims, attorneys, and visitors often need different divisions depending on the service they require. This article explains how the Sheriff's Office is organized, the types of services it provides, where official information can be found, and how to identify the appropriate office before making a request or seeking assistance.

Primary responsibilities

The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office is led by Sheriff Bill E. Waybourn and serves multiple public safety functions across the county. The agency's mission emphasizes protecting the community while serving the public with honor, respect, and integrity.

The Sheriff's Office oversees county jail operations, patrol services in unincorporated areas, criminal investigations, court security, communications and records functions, professional training, inmate services, and numerous public safety programs. It also works with other law enforcement agencies through specialized initiatives, including the Human Trafficking Task Force.

The official Tarrant County Sheriff's Office website serves as the primary source for public information, inmate services, employment opportunities, public records requests, crime reporting resources, and division information.

Organization of the agency

The Sheriff's Office is divided into several major operational areas. Understanding these divisions helps residents contact the appropriate office for their particular need instead of sending requests to the wrong department.

Sheriff's Administration

Sheriff's Administration provides executive leadership and administrative support for the agency. Employees assigned to this division report directly to the Sheriff and help coordinate operations across the Sheriff's Office.

Detention Bureau

The Detention Bureau manages the Tarrant County Jail system. According to the Sheriff's Office, the jail system has a capacity of approximately 5,000 inmates and consists of five facilities.

The bureau is staffed by approximately 1,000 detention officers and peace officers certified through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). The county jail has met certification requirements established by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards every year since 1995.

In addition to housing inmates, the bureau provides:

Central booking for newly arrested inmates.
Medical services.
Psychological services.
Inmate counseling.
General Educational Development (GED) courses.
English as a Second Language instruction.
Law library access.
Recreational library access.
Transportation of inmates to county courts.

Every inmate entering the county jail is centrally received, booked, photographed, and enrolled by iris identification before placement within the jail system.

Patrol Division

The Patrol Division serves as the law enforcement arm of the Sheriff's Office. Deputies patrol the unincorporated portions of Tarrant County as well as the contract cities of Edgecliff Village and Haslet.

Patrol deputies respond to calls for service, investigate reported crimes, enforce traffic laws, and investigate traffic collisions occurring within their jurisdiction.

The Patrol Division also includes several specialized programs, including:

Livestock Estray Enforcement Program (LEEP).
Sheriff's Community Oriented Policing and Education (SCOPE).
Sheriff's Environmental Enforcement Division (SEED).
Courtesy Patrol.
Sheriff's Reserve Deputy Unit.
Tarrant County Sheriff's Posse.

Criminal Investigations Division

The Criminal Investigations Division (CID) investigates cases reported to the Sheriff's Office after initial reports are received.

Detectives investigate numerous categories of criminal offenses, including:

Burglary.
Theft.
Criminal mischief.
Fraud.
Identity theft.
Family violence offenses.
Assaults.
Murders.
Questionable deaths.
Sexual assaults.
Crimes involving children.

The division also includes the Victim Assistance Coordinator and the Sex Offender Registration and Compliance function.

Judicial Services

Judicial Services provides security for county court facilities. The division is responsible for security in criminal courts, civil courts, family courts, juvenile courts, parole hearings, and Attorney General courts. Assigned bailiffs carry out many of these responsibilities.

Communications and Technology

This division contains several operational units, including:

Records Division.
Communications.
Property Room.
Information Technology.
Accounting.

The Records Division is especially important for members of the public requesting official Sheriff's Office records.

Professional Development and Training

The Sheriff's Training Academy provides education and training for Sheriff's deputies, detention officers, and other law enforcement officers throughout North Texas.

Inmate services available online

The Sheriff's Office provides several inmate-related services through its official inmate information pages.

The Inmate Information page serves as a central location for services related to individuals housed in the county jail.

Available inmate services include:

General visitation information.
Bond information.
Inmate correspondence.
Money deposits.
Daily booked-in reports.
Daily bond reports.
Most Wanted information.
Inmate search.

Searching for an inmate

The Sheriff's Office maintains an official inmate lookup system that allows users to search current inmate records.

The official Inmate Search page directs users to the county's searchable inmate database.

The search system allows users to search using available identifying information such as:

Last name.
First name.
CID number.
Race.
Sex.

Using accurate identifying information helps reduce the possibility of locating the wrong individual when multiple inmates have similar names.

Bond and jail information

The Sheriff's Office publishes bond information and daily booking reports through its inmate information resources.

If someone is already incarcerated in the Tarrant County Jail, the Criminal Warrants Division instructs the public to use the inmate search system or contact the jail for information regarding charges, bond amounts, and other inmate information.

People seeking traffic warrant information should not contact the Criminal Warrants Division if the matter involves a traffic citation. Instead, the Sheriff's Office directs individuals to contact the agency that issued the citation. If a citation was issued by a Tarrant County Sheriff's deputy, the appropriate Justice of the Peace listed on the citation should be contacted.

Public records requests

The Sheriff's Office Records Division processes requests for public information under the Texas Public Information Act.

Instructions for obtaining records are available on the official Public Records Request page.

Requests may be submitted online, by email to the Records Division, or by mail or in person.

Providing complete information helps staff identify the requested record more efficiently. When available, requests should include:

Date of request.
Report number.
Incident type.
Date of occurrence.
Location of the incident.
Names of parties involved.
Additional identifying details that may help locate the record.
Requestor's name.
Requestor's mailing address.
Requestor's telephone number.

The Records Division may contact the requestor to clarify the request or provide status updates. Incomplete requests may require additional communication before processing can continue.

Crime investigations and victim services

The Criminal Investigations Division follows up on criminal cases after reports are received by the Sheriff's Office.

In addition to investigating offenses, the division provides support for victims through a Victim Assistance Coordinator. Assistance includes helping crime victims understand the criminal justice process and providing help with Texas Attorney General Crime Victim Compensation paperwork.

The Crime Scene Unit supports investigations by documenting scenes, collecting evidence, recovering fingerprints, and processing forensic evidence. The unit operates around the clock to support investigations involving multiple law enforcement agencies within Tarrant County.

Criminal warrants

The Sheriff's Office maintains a Criminal Warrants Division responsible for serving active criminal and mental health warrants.

The division manages several operational units, including:

Fugitive Warrants.
Mental Warrants.
Extradition.
Transportation.
Administrative warrant support.

The Sheriff's Office states that criminal warrant information is not released to the general public. Information concerning active criminal warrants is provided only to licensed bondsmen, attorneys, or law enforcement agencies.

Understanding this distinction can help avoid delays by directing warrant-related inquiries through the proper channels rather than expecting public confirmation from the Sheriff's Office.

Interactive crime mapping

The Sheriff's Office provides an interactive mapping system displaying law enforcement activity in unincorporated portions of Tarrant County.

Information about this service is available through the Interactive Crime Mapping page.

The mapping system includes information about:

Calls for service.
Reported offenses.
Sex offender registration information for areas served by the Sheriff's Office.

The Sheriff's Office explains that calls for service describe incidents reported when deputies are dispatched or initiate activity. These entries may not reflect the final investigative findings.

Offense information becomes available after investigators determine that criminal laws may have been violated and reports are forwarded for investigative follow-up.

The information available through the mapping system provides an overview of Sheriff's Office activity and is updated hourly. It does not represent official crime statistics.

Community safety programs

The Sheriff's Office administers several programs designed to improve public safety and community engagement.

Alarm permits

The Sheriff's Office regulates alarm permits for unincorporated Tarrant County. Permits cost $25, remain valid for one year, and renewal notices are mailed approximately 30 days before expiration.

Courtesy Patrol

The Courtesy Patrol assists stranded motorists, abandoned vehicles, and roadway debris on major highways throughout Tarrant County through a federally funded transportation safety program.

SCOPE

The Sheriff's Community Oriented Policing and Education program conducts crime prevention presentations, supports neighborhood crime watch organizations, and participates in community events such as National Night Out and youth safety programs.

Labor Detail

The Labor Detail program provides services intended to support county agencies while maintaining accountability and humane treatment of individuals under the Sheriff's Office's care and custody.

Game room regulations

The Sheriff's Office also administers regulations governing game room operations approved by the Tarrant County Commissioners Court.

Employment opportunities

The Sheriff's Office recruits Detention Officers and Deputy Sheriffs throughout the year. Employment information indicates that applicants may pursue careers with competitive pay and benefits.

The agency also accepts applications from certified Texas Peace Officers for deputy positions. Many deputies begin their careers as detention officers before advancing into patrol or specialized assignments.

Professional development continues throughout employment through the Sheriff's Training Academy.

Choosing the correct Sheriff's Office service

Selecting the appropriate office before contacting the Sheriff's Office can save time and reduce unnecessary transfers.

Use inmate services for visitation, inmate search, bond information, correspondence, and money deposits.

Contact the Records Division for public information requests and official Sheriff's Office reports.

Use Criminal Investigations for cases assigned to Sheriff's detectives.

Contact Patrol for law enforcement issues occurring within unincorporated Tarrant County or the Sheriff's contract cities.

Review Criminal Warrants procedures for warrant-related questions instead of relying on inmate information resources.

Consult the Interactive Crime Mapping system for recent Sheriff's Office activity within covered areas.

Common mistakes to avoid

Several common misunderstandings can delay requests or send residents to the wrong office.

Do not expect public confirmation of active criminal warrants from the Criminal Warrants Division, as that information is not released to the general public.

Do not contact the Criminal Warrants Division about traffic citations. Traffic warrant questions should be directed according to the agency that issued the citation.

Provide as much identifying information as possible when requesting public records to help staff locate the correct report.

When searching for an inmate, use accurate identifying information to reduce confusion between individuals with similar names.

Remember that information shown on the interactive crime map is intended as an overview of Sheriff's Office activity and is not the county's official crime statistics.

Departments and offices

Sheriff's Office Administration — 200 Taylor Street, 7th Floor, Fort Worth, TX 76196 — 817-884-3099

Sheriff's Administration — 200 Taylor Street, 7th Floor, Fort Worth, TX 76196 — 817-884-3099

Detention Bureau Administration — 100 N. Lamar, Fort Worth, TX 76196 — 817-884-3000

Tarrant County Corrections Center — 100 N. Lamar, Fort Worth, TX 76196 — 817-884-3000

Lon Evans Jail — 600 W. Weatherford, Fort Worth, TX 76196 — 817-884-3000

Green Bay Jail — 2500 Urban Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76106 — 817-884-3000

Professional Development and Training — 1500 Circle Drive, Suite 200, Fort Worth, TX 76119 — 817-531-7634

Labor Detail — 1813 Cold Springs Road, Fort Worth, TX 76196 — 817-884-1638

Criminal Investigations Division — 200 Taylor Street, Tarrant County Plaza Building, 7th Floor, Fort Worth, TX 76196 — 817-884-1305

Criminal Warrants — 200 Taylor Street, 6th Floor, Fort Worth, TX 76196 — 817-884-1289

North Patrol — 6651 Lake Worth Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76135 — 817-238-4200

South Patrol — 800 Rendon Crowley Rd. E., Fort Worth, TX 76028 — 817-884-2270

Sheriff's Office FAQs

Why can’t I find an incident on the crime map?

The Sheriff’s Office crime map does not display every incident reported in Tarrant County. It primarily covers law enforcement activity in unincorporated areas where the Sheriff’s Office provides police services. Some records may also be withheld because of legal restrictions or the nature of the offense. Calls for service reflect the information available when a deputy was dispatched, so the description may change after an investigation. Offense entries appear when investigators determine that a criminal law may have been violated. The map is updated hourly, but it should not be treated as an official crime statistics database. New users can review the instructions on the interactive crime mapping page.

Does the Sheriff’s crime map include every city?

No. The mapping system is not a countywide collection of reports from every municipal police department. Its crime-search information focuses on unincorporated Tarrant County. Sex offender mapping through the Sheriff’s Office covers unincorporated areas and the cities of Benbrook, Edgecliff Village, River Oaks, and Pelican Bay. People searching for records within Fort Worth, Arlington, or another incorporated city may need to use that city’s police or records system.

How can victims receive custody status updates?

The Sheriff’s Office lists Victim Information and Notification Everyday, commonly called VINE, among its public programs. This service allows crime victims to check criminal case information and receive updates about an offender’s custody status at any time. Because custody conditions can change, users should rely on the current notification information rather than an older booking report or saved search result.

What should I do after recognizing someone on the Most Wanted page?

Do not approach, follow, arrest, or attempt to detain the person. The Sheriff’s Office warns that listed individuals may be armed and dangerous. Review the current entry on the official Tarrant County Most Wanted page and provide relevant information through an authorized law enforcement reporting method. Call 911 when there is an immediate threat or active emergency.