Texas and Dallas pair up for construction of police training center

Texas and the City of Dallas have started working on a design for a regional police training center. The center will be located on the UNT Dallas campus and could open in 2027.

Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia says the department has "outgrown" its current academy, which opened more than 30 years ago.

"It is not indicative of the sacrifices I have seen in my time here that these men and women do every single day, when you look at what these officers who graduate that academy do for this city, when you look at the fact violent crime in Dallas is down again," he says.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick says the state is providing $20 million for the project, and he hopes to include another $5 million in the budget when lawmakers return to Austin in January.

"To law enforcement: thank you," he says. "It's the only job that, when you get up in the morning, you put on a badge and a gun and you are willing, if called upon, to lay down your life for a total stranger."

Patrick says people who enter law enforcement now carry more duties than in previous generations.

"It's a tough job," he says. "You're expected to be a law enforcer, put your life on the line, and also to be a psychologist, be a helper. You're expected to be a superman or superwoman."

Garcia says the training center will include the ability to teach the latest skills officers will need.

"The training not only covers legal statutes and procedures, but it also emphasizes ethics, de-escalation techniques and community engagement," he says.

Cara Mendelsohn chairs the Dallas City Council Public Safety Committee. She says the center will provide the latest training but could also attract more officers to the Dallas Police Department.

"My hope is the new police academy will show the men and women of the police department we value, cherish and recognize the sacrifices they make," she says.

The center will be on Camp Wisdom Road on the eastern edge of the UNT Dallas campus.

"This state of the art facility not only offers the city and other law enforcement agencies a new location to train cadets but provides the University of North Texas at Dallas the opportunity to strengthen our partnerships with our community and local law enforcement agencies," says Interim President Warren von Eschenbach.

Von Eschenbach says UNT Dallas has been working with police and the city to develop a training curriculum and pathways for cadets to enter the school's criminal justice degree program. He says the school are also working on research opportunities for faculty and students, and UNT Dallas is also developing executive training courses for officers.

"These efforts will help address the needs of 21st century law enforcement while supporting the university's research and academic programs to enable us to continue our mission of empowering students, transforming lives and strengthening communities," he says.

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