Dalhart Unit Overview
Dalhart Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice Correctional Institutions Division prison at 11950 FM 998, Dalhart, TX 79022. TDCJ describes the unit as four miles west of Dalhart on Highway 54 and one mile south on FM 998 in Hartley County. It is not a county jail, and it is not the public search source for fresh Hartley County arrests.
The official TDCJ unit directory lists Dalhart Unit as a male prison with custody levels G1, G2, and G4. The facility came online in February 1995 and has been ACA accredited since August 2007. Senior Warden Daniel Pacheco is listed for the unit, and Bryan Williams is listed as the Region V director. Those details matter because unit leadership, custody level, and state-prison status tell readers they are dealing with sentenced TDCJ custody, not Dallam-Hartley jail-dispatch custody.
For Hartley County search work, Dalhart Unit is part of the state prison track. A person can move from the Dallam-Hartley County Jail to TDCJ after conviction, sentencing, commitment, and transfer. Until that transfer happens, the county jail phone and Hartley sheriff records remain the local custody path. After transfer, the statewide TDCJ inmate search is the source for current prison location and state custody status.
The official TDCJ Dalhart Unit directory page gives the unit address, capacity, custody levels, staffing, program list, and Hartley County location.
Use that unit directory for facility facts, then use the separate TDCJ inmate search page for a person-specific prison lookup.
Dalhart Unit Capacity and Population
TDCJ publishes Dalhart Unit with a capacity of 780. The same official unit page lists custody levels G1, G2, and G4 and identifies the unit as a male prison. A current daily population count for Dalhart Unit was not located in the official research source, so the capacity figure should not be treated as a live count or as proof that any specific person is housed there.
The staffing figures on the TDCJ page help describe the scale of the facility. TDCJ lists total employees at 237, including 168 security employees, 45 non-security employees, 7 Windham Education employees, 17 contract medical employees, and 0 mental-health employees. The unit includes about 1,520 acres plus 559 leased acres. Agricultural operations include contract farming and grazing, security horses, security pack canines, and a unit garden.
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 780 | TDCJ Dalhart Unit directory |
| Custody levels | G1, G2, G4 | TDCJ Dalhart Unit directory |
| Current daily count | Not located | TDCJ unit page publishes capacity, not a live population count. |
| ACA accreditation | Since August 2007 | TDCJ Dalhart Unit directory |
How to Look Up an Inmate at Dalhart Unit
Use the TDCJ Inmate Information Search for Dalhart Unit. The Dallam-Hartley County Jail phone is not the right first source for a sentenced state prisoner currently assigned to a TDCJ unit. TDCJ says its online search includes only inmates who are currently incarcerated in a TDCJ facility, is updated on working days only, and contains information that is at least 24 hours old.
- Open the TDCJ Inmate Information Search.
- Search by last name plus at least first initial, or search by TDCJ number or SID number.
- Use optional gender and race filters only when needed to narrow common names.
- Confirm the current facility field shows Dalhart Unit before planning mail, travel, or pickup.
- If the person is not found and the case is recent, check whether they are still in Dallam-Hartley County Jail, another county jail, federal custody, or a court transfer stage.
| Search Field | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Last Name / First Initial | Minimum name search uses last name and at least first initial. |
| TDCJ Number | Can be used by itself when known. |
| SID Number | Can be used by itself when known. |
| Gender / Race | Optional filters for narrowing results. |
The TDCJ inmate search page is the correct locator for Dalhart Unit records and other current TDCJ prison assignments.
Because the locator is a statewide prison tool, it should be used after sentencing or transfer rather than as a county jail roster.
Dalhart Unit Address and Contact
The unit phone is the final confirmation source before travel, visitation, pickup, or other time-sensitive decisions. TDCJ specifically advises callers to confirm unit details before leaving, because location, privileges, and schedules can change. Use the statewide locator first, then call the unit when the person-specific record points to Dalhart Unit.
Dalhart Unit
11950 FM 998
Dalhart, TX 79022
(806) 249-8432
TDCJ unit phone extension reference: **072.
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Correctional Institutions Division
State prison records and visitation rules
(844) 476-1289
Visitation hotline, Saturdays and Sundays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Visiting Someone at Dalhart Unit
Dalhart Unit uses TDCJ statewide prison visitation rules. This is different from county jail visitation. Visitors should verify they are on the approved visitor list, bring photo identification, check clothing compliance, and call the unit before travel. TDCJ states that cell phones are not allowed inside the secure perimeter and that visitors should not bring cash except coins not more than $35.
Each inmate is allowed one visit per weekend under the statewide rules captured in the research. The TDCJ visitation hotline is (844) 476-1289 and is available Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Special visits or accommodations should be arranged before the visit, and visitors should confirm cancellations or restrictions before leaving for Dalhart.
| Topic | TDCJ Detail | Action Before Travel |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor approval | Approved visitor list required | Confirm approval with the unit if unsure. |
| Identification | Photo ID required | Bring current identification. |
| Phones | No cell phones in secure perimeter | Leave phones outside as directed. |
| Coins | Not more than $35 | Do not bring other cash unless told otherwise. |
| Weekend limit | One visit per weekend | Coordinate with other visitors in advance. |
The TDCJ visitation page provides the statewide visitor preparation rules and hotline information used for Dalhart Unit planning.
Use the statewide page for the general rule set, then call Dalhart Unit for the person-specific schedule, privileges, and any temporary restriction.
Mail, Phone, and Money at Dalhart Unit
The Dalhart Unit directory page does not publish a separate local commissary vendor table, local money-deposit fee chart, phone provider rate sheet, or unit-specific mail template. Do not use county jail deposit instructions for Dalhart Unit, because TDCJ prison rules are separate from Dallam-Hartley jail rules. Confirm the person's current TDCJ number and unit assignment before sending mail or money.
| Service | Provider / Detail | Local Source Status |
|---|---|---|
| Mail Address | Use TDCJ inmate identity and unit assignment; verify format before mailing. | No separate Dalhart-only format in the unit directory. |
| Phone | TDCJ prison phone rules apply. | No local rate sheet in the unit directory. |
| Money Deposit | Use TDCJ-approved family and inmate information channels. | No local vendor fee table in the unit directory. |
| Commissary | TDCJ prison commissary rules apply. | No Dalhart-specific public table located. |
Admission and Classification at Dalhart Unit
Dalhart Unit does not book new street arrests for Hartley County. A person reaches TDCJ after a criminal case results in a prison commitment and TDCJ accepts custody. The county jail may show transfer or paper-ready status before movement, but once the person is in TDCJ custody, the state locator and unit phone are the practical sources for current prison assignment.
Prison classification is different from jail booking. TDCJ custody levels, sentence information, medical needs, education needs, work assignment, and unit capacity can affect assignment. Dalhart Unit is listed with G1, G2, and G4 custody levels, and TDCJ profiles may show current facility, offense and sentence details, projected release or parole information, and update age. Always verify on the individual TDCJ profile rather than assuming that an old jail record still reflects the current location.
Programs and Operations at Dalhart Unit
TDCJ documents several education, treatment, faith, and work programs at Dalhart Unit. Education options include Literacy, Adult Basic Education, GED, CHANGES/Pre-Release, Cognitive Intervention, Construction Carpentry, and Piping Trades/Plumbing. Additional program entries include Adult Education upon availability, Chaplaincy Services, a Faith-Based Dormitory, GO KIDS Initiative, and Peer Education.
Medical capabilities include ambulatory medical and dental services, telemedicine, and CPAP-accommodating housing managed by Texas Tech. Volunteer initiatives include substance-abuse education, support groups, and religious or faith-based work. Facility operations include unit maintenance, and agricultural operations include contract farming and grazing, security horses, security pack canines, and a unit garden. These are official unit features, not promises that every person will qualify for every program.
Dalhart Unit vs. Dallam-Hartley County Jail
The most common search mistake is treating Dalhart Unit like a Hartley County jail roster. It is a state prison. Dallam-Hartley County Jail handles pretrial detainees, local jail custody, bond questions, holds, and people awaiting transfer. Dalhart Unit houses sentenced male prisoners in TDCJ custody. The same city name can appear in both searches, but the agencies, records, visitation rules, and public lookup systems are different.
| Dallam-Hartley County Jail | Dalhart Unit | |
|---|---|---|
| System | County or regional jail | TDCJ state prison |
| Who is held | Pretrial, local sentence, holds, transfer stage | Sentenced male state prisoners |
| Lookup | Call jail-dispatch, Hartley sheriff, public-information request | TDCJ Inmate Information Search |
| Visitation | Local rules not located | TDCJ statewide visitation rules |
About Dalhart Unit
Dalhart Unit is physically in Hartley County even though its location identity is tied to Dalhart. Hartley County is a Panhandle county with Channing as county seat and Dalhart as a key service point near U.S. Highway routes. For public-record users, that local geography means a custody question may start as a Hartley arrest, move through the Dallam-Hartley County Jail, reach court filing through Hartley clerks and iDocket, and later become a TDCJ search if a prison sentence is imposed.
The TDCJ unit page is the strongest official source for Dalhart Unit facts. It gives the capacity, custody levels, address, phone, senior warden, region director, accreditation date, staffing, acreage, operations, medical services, and programs. It does not publish a live population count or a local commissary fee table, so those details should be verified through TDCJ channels rather than filled in from other facilities.
Note: Confirm the current TDCJ assignment and visitation eligibility with the unit before travel, mail, pickup, or money decisions.