(a) The Sheriff of Dallas County or the authorized agents of the sheriff may operate a jail canteen and a telephone system for prisoners within the confines of the county jail. The jail canteen and telephone system shall be operated to serve the needs of the jail population.
(b)(1) The sheriff shall establish and maintain a Law Enforcement Fund in a bank located in Dallas County. All proceeds collected from the operation of the jail canteen under this section shall be deposited by the sheriff into the Law Enforcement Fund. All proceeds from the operation of the telephone system shall be deposited in the county general fund.
(2) The sheriff shall keep an account of all jail canteen sales and telephone usage fees and expenditures for the Law Enforcement Fund for audit by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts. The jail canteen account, telephone system account, and Law Enforcement Fund shall be audited at the same time other accounts of the sheriff are audited. The Department of Examiners of Public Accounts shall submit a copy of the audit to the sheriff within 30 days of its completion.
(c) All profits realized in the operation of the jail canteen shall be expended at the discretion of the sheriff for law enforcement purposes in Dallas County, including office expenses, that are in the interest of the public. All proceeds from the operation of the telephone system shall be expended at the discretion of the Dallas County Commission for law enforcement purposes or other purposes for which public funds may be expended.
(d) The establishment of the Law Enforcement Fund and the use of the proceeds shall not diminish or take the place of any other source of income established for the sheriff or the operation of the office.
(e) Any actions relating to the operation of a jail canteen and telephone system in the county jail prior to June 1, 1999, are ratified and confirmed. Any existing proceeds derived from the operation of a jail canteen prior to June 1, 1999, shall be deposited into the Law Enforcement Fund created by this section. Any existing proceeds derived from the operation of the telephone system prior to June 1, 1999, shall be deposited into the county general fund.
Last modified: May 3, 2021