The Tarrant County Sheriff says he's lifting
the limit on how many inmates he'll jam into
his overcrowded jail.
About 700 of them already have been convicted
and should be in state prison.
Officials figure it's costing an extra $30,000
a day to hold them.
And I hope y'all all realize that I've done
everything I can.
County leaders have threatened to storm the
legislature to get financial aid, send down
prisoners, send down commissioners dressed like prisoners.
We're the prisoners of the state's failed system.
Bob Hampton wore jail fatigues to punctuate the
county's plea for support from these police
and city officials.
So that we can get unified and then all march
on Austin to see if we can't get some type bill.
And I think what we need today, all of us
together, is a game plan of what to do.
And I mean specifically step one, step two,
step three.
No one discussed those steps at this meeting,
but everyone seemed to agree they needed a
band together to get legislators' attention.
Without additional sales taxes or fees,
commissioners predict ballooning property taxes
to fund
jail construction.
Fort Worth Police Chief Thomas Windham vows to
keep arresting criminals and District Judge
Joe Drago vows to keep blocking them up.
Because I'm not going to let a habitual
criminal out of jail.
Teddy Roosevelt knew you could get things done
if you walked softly and carried a big stick.
So far, city and county leaders have managed to
make a lot of noise, but they're still
swatting at the legislature with twigs.
It remains to be seen whether or not this
meeting will change that.
Jim Douglas, Channel 5 News, Fort Worth.