The Ellis County Sheriff's Office operates the Wayne McCollum Detention Center in Waxahachie, the county seat. The facility processes bookings from the sheriff's office, Waxahachie Police Department, Midlothian Police Department, Ennis Police Department, and other municipal agencies. Booking records, including photographs and charge information, are publicly accessible under the Texas Public Information Act (Tex. Gov’t Code Ch. 552). The county provides online inmate information through the sheriff's office website.

Ellis County has transitioned from a primarily agricultural community to a rapidly growing suburban county over the past two decades. Waxahachie, the county seat, is known for its ornate 1897 Ellis County Courthouse, a Romanesque Revival structure built from red sandstone and granite that is considered one of the most beautiful courthouses in Texas. The city has grown substantially as families seek affordable housing south of Dallas, with easy access via I-35E and U.S. Highway 287.

About Ellis County

Ellis County stretches south of Dallas along two major highway corridors: I-35E through Waxahachie and U.S. 287 through Midlothian and Ennis. Midlothian, the county's fastest-growing city, has seen its population roughly triple since 2000, driven by new residential developments and its proximity to both Dallas and Fort Worth. Ennis, in the county's southeastern corner, is known as the “Bluebonnet City of Texas” for its wildflower trails each spring. The county's economy blends suburban residential growth with light industrial activity, cement manufacturing around Midlothian, and the agricultural heritage that still defines its rural southern and western portions.