Dallas PD Takes Over Freeway Enforcement | DPD logo Image by Dallas Police Department/Facebook; police lights Image by Canva

The Dallas Police Department recently announced that it has received formal notice from Dallas County terminating the interlocal agreement for the Dallas County Highway Traffic Program, effective August 28, 2026.

The agreement, which began October 1, 2025, provided approximately $1.2 million in annual funding for the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office to handle freeway traffic enforcement and crash response services inside the city limits of Dallas.

Dallas PD said it has been preparing for the change for several months and will expand its own Traffic Unit to assume responsibility for freeway enforcement, High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane enforcement, and crash investigations on city freeways. The department stated the shift is intended to improve response times, keep specialized traffic investigators on crash scenes, strengthen HOV enforcement, and reduce the need to pull patrol officers away from emergency calls for service.

Details of the Terminated Agreement

According to the official Dallas Police Department statement posted on X, the partnership allowed the Sheriff’s Office to provide targeted coverage on major limited-access highways within Dallas. City Council records show the City of Dallas and Dallas County have maintained versions of this funding arrangement for many years, with the most recent three-year agreement authorized in March 2026 for a total not to exceed $4.374 million through September 2028.

The program traces its roots to 2008, when the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office assumed primary freeway coverage responsibilities in portions of southern Dallas County. That arrangement was designed to free Dallas police resources for neighborhood-focused patrol while the Sheriff’s Office handled regional highway response.

Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux stated the following:

“This transition reflects the way we are continuously evaluating how we deploy our resources to best serve the people of Dallas. Expanding our Traffic Unit allows us to provide faster, more specialized response to traffic incidents, assume responsibility for HOV lane enforcement, and keep patrol officers focused on responding to calls for service. It’s an investment in both public safety and operational efficiency that ultimately enhances the level of service our community expects and deserves.”

Dallas Police Staffing Improving, But Still Short of Voter Mandate

The transition occurs while the Dallas Police Department continues to operate below the minimum staffing level required by Proposition U, the 2024 voter-approved charter amendment. Prop U requires the city to maintain at least 4,000 full-time sworn officers.

As of early July 2026, Dallas Police Association President Sean Pease stated the department had 3,398 sworn officers, per CBS. City Council member Cara Mendelsohn reported 3,391 officers as of May 1, 2026. Both figures remain several hundred officers short of the 4,000 threshold.

The Dallas Express reported in 2025 that the city’s proposed budgets have consistently projected staffing levels well below the Prop U minimum. A 2025 budget analysis showed the city expected to end fiscal year 2026 with approximately 3,424 officers—still more than 500 short of the required floor.

What the Change Means for Operations

Under the new arrangement, dedicated Traffic Unit personnel will handle freeway incidents rather than diverting regular patrol officers. Dallas PD said this approach is expected to improve overall response times to emergency calls in neighborhoods while ensuring traffic crashes receive specialized investigation.

The department emphasized it remains committed to collaboration with regional partners, including the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, even as the specific highway traffic funding agreement ends.

City of Dallas budget documents and prior council authorizations confirm the city has contributed increasing amounts over the years to support the Sheriff’s highway program, rising from earlier levels of $600,000 to the $1.2 million annual figure in the most recent contract.

The Dallas Police Department has not disclosed the specific number of additional officers or resources that will be assigned to the expanded Traffic Unit as part of this change. It remains to be seen whether reallocating these resources will further strain the existing patrol units, as the department continues its efforts to increase overall sworn staffing in line with the Prop U target of 4,000 officers.