Wayne McCollum Detention Center — Ellis County jail & inmate search

What is the Wayne McCollum Detention Center and what happens after you’re booked?

WMDC is the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office primary jail — every county-level arrest runs through this single facility at 300 S. Jackson St. in Waxahachie.

The WMDC processing area handles all intake, property storage, bond payments, and release. It is the same building as the ECSO main office and is accessible to the public during posted hours. The Law Enforcement Center on FM 878 is a separate operations facility and does not process jail inmates.

1. Arrest & transportArresting officers bring the individual to WMDC. City police departments in Waxahachie, Ennis, Midlothian, and Red Oak may hold people briefly in their own facilities but typically transfer county-level defendants to WMDC for magistration.
2. BookingThe person’s property is logged and stored in the WMDC processing area. A Sheriff’s Office (SO) number is assigned. The record appears in the online roster, though very recent bookings may take a few hours to show up.
3. MagistrationTexas law requires a magistrate appearance “without unnecessary delay” and no later than 48 hours after arrest (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 15.17). At magistration, the charge is read, rights are explained, and a bond amount is set on a case-by-case basis. Ellis County does not publish a fixed magistrate schedule; call (972) 825-4931 for current timing.
4. BondOnce the bond amount is set, it can be posted at the WMDC bond counter. See the bonding-out section below for payment methods and steps.
5. ReleaseAfter the bond clears, the defendant is released through the WMDC processing area. Release timing varies with facility volume; expect at minimum a few hours after bond is posted.

Back to the county overview: Ellis County jail, courts & bonds hub.

How do I find someone held at the Wayne McCollum Detention Center?

The ECSO runs a live inmate roster that is searchable by name. You need a browser — automated tools are blocked.

To search effectively, use the person’s full legal name as it appears on their government ID. A date of birth or booking number will narrow results if the name is common. The bond amount field populates only after magistration, so an empty bond field usually means the person was booked very recently and the magistrate has not yet set bail.

How does visitation work at the Wayne McCollum Detention Center?

WMDC offers video-only visitation — there are no in-person contact visits. Visits are scheduled through JailATM and run Tuesday through Saturday.

Who may visit

• Adults 18 and older must present one of the accepted government-issued IDs listed above. IDs must be current — the driver’s license exception allows up to 6 months expired.
• Visitors under 18 are allowed but must be supervised by an adult visitor at all times during the visit.
• Maximum two adults per visit session.
• Physical searches may be conducted if staff have probable cause; refusal may result in denial of entry.

What to bring — and what to leave at home

• Bring: Your valid government-issued ID (required for entry). Nothing else is needed for a video visit at the on-site kiosk.
• Do not bring: Cell phones, purses, packages, bags, or any containers into the visit area. Food and drinks are not allowed in the lobby or visitation areas.

Dress code for on-site visits

• Visitors must be completely and properly dressed.
• Prohibited: mini-skirts, tank tops, biker shorts, any spandex material.
• Shorts must be no shorter than 1–2 inches above the knee.

Remote video visits from home

Third-party aggregators reference a Securus account for SMS-linked remote video sessions. However, the official ECSO visitation-rules page lists JailATM as the scheduling vendor without separately confirming Securus for video.

How do I put money on an inmate’s books at WMDC?

Ellis County uses TouchPay for commissary deposits. There are three ways to add funds, all through the same vendor.

Commissary at WMDC runs seven days a week via a mobile cart inside the facility, with immediate delivery. Inmates may purchase hygiene items, snacks, and other approved products from the commissary account you fund.

How do inmate phone calls, messaging, and mail work at WMDC?

General mail is routed through a JailATM P.O. Box in Fort Worth, not directly to the jail. Legal and medical mail goes directly to WMDC. Phone and messaging vendor: confirm with the jail.

JailATM general mail rules

• Maximum dimensions: 8.5 in. × 11 in.; maximum 5 pages, single-sided only; no writing on the back.
• Maximum 1 photo per mailing.
• Must include the inmate’s full name, booking number, and your return address.
• After processing, the original is destroyed — the inmate receives the content electronically.
• Not accepted via JailATM: legal mail, medical mail, magazines, newspapers, books, or bulk mail.

Direct-mail published materials

• Soft-backed books, magazines, and newspapers are accepted at WMDC by subscription only.
• Maximum 2 subscriptions at a time; no more than 1 newspaper and 3 magazines.
• No items with staples — these are returned to sender.

Attorney mail

Attorney-client correspondence should be addressed directly to the facility (not via JailATM), clearly marked “LEGAL MAIL — ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED,” and sent to the WMDC direct address above with the inmate’s full name and booking number on the envelope. Texas law protects attorney-client mail from being read by facility staff.

How do you bond someone out of the Wayne McCollum Detention Center?

The bond counter is inside the WMDC processing area. Hours are not published online — call ahead. New to Texas bail? Start with how bail works in Texas, then come back for the WMDC specifics.

Release process & property return

After a bond is posted and cleared, the defendant is processed for release through the WMDC processing area. All personal property logged at booking — wallet, phone, keys, and other items — is returned at this point. Inmate commissary account balances are typically refunded according to ECSO policy after release; confirm the current refund timeline by calling (972) 825-4931.

Actual release timing varies with facility volume. After the bond is accepted, expect at minimum a few hours before the person walks out. If you are picking someone up, wait for a call rather than standing at the facility entrance, and confirm the exit point with the jail when posting bond.

How do I get to the Wayne McCollum Detention Center — directions, parking, and visitor tips?

WMDC shares the address of the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office at 300 S. Jackson St. in downtown Waxahachie, roughly one block south of the historic courthouse square.

Getting there

From Interstate 35E, take the exit for US-287 Business / Waxahachie. Head east toward downtown Waxahachie. S. Jackson St. is one block east of the historic Ellis County courthouse (101 W. Main St.). The Sheriff’s Office and WMDC entrance are at 300 S. Jackson St. — on the south end of the block, not the courthouse side. The Courts & Administration Building (where criminal court hearings are held) is at 109 S. Jackson St., roughly two blocks north of WMDC on the same street.

Parking

Street parking is available on S. Jackson St. and surrounding blocks in the courthouse district. Downtown Waxahachie has public parking near the square. Specific visitor parking lots for WMDC are not detailed on the official ECSO site.

Security screening

Expect to pass through a security screening before entering the processing area or visit kiosks. In the DFW area, county jails typically require you to empty your pockets, leave prohibited items in your car or a storage locker, and present valid ID. Do not bring weapons, restricted items, or anything listed as prohibited under the WMDC visit rules above.

Lobby & processing area hours

See all DFW county jail locations or return to the Ellis County hub for courts, city jails, and more.

Worried about a warrant?

Walking into a jail with an active warrant can get you arrested.

Check for and clear a Texas bench, traffic, or capias warrant before you visit or post bond.