VIDEO: Round Up clears thousands of outstanding warrants

Since late February Dallas officials have cleared more than 12,000 outstanding warrants during the Great Texas Warrant Round Up. That number is still rising as the push to collect these warrants continues.

When the Round Up kicked off, there were a total of about 265,000 outstanding warrants in the City of Dallas, representing about $76 million. Last year 144,000 warrants were cleared in Texas during the Round Up.

“People have a lot of options in the City of Dallas. There are payment plans, community service, there’s work release programs,” said Chief Deputy Marshal Paul Hansen. “They can definitely take care of their citations before they turn into warrants and avoid the inconvenience and embarrassment of going to jail.”

Hansen said officials want citizens to work with the City to take care of their citations before the City has to take official action against them. More than 300 law enforcement agencies state-wide are involved in the roundup; more than 150 of those agencies are in the Dallas area.

Technology advances like automatic license plate readers, in-car video and electronic ticket writers have made it much easier for officers to find people with outstanding warrants.

Persons delinquent in satisfying their City of Dallas warrants are subject to a hold placed on renewal of their vehicle registration with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (Scofflaw Program) or arrest and jail time. In Dallas, drivers can also be subject to denial of their driver’s license renewal.

Citizens can pay in person at 2014 Main St. between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. (wheelchair access is at 2014 Main Street); or online at Courts.dallascityhall.com.