Dallas residents divided on proposed $50 million police training campus
Dallas, Texas – Dallas voters will face several bond measures in the May 4 election, with one of the key proposals being Proposition F. This initiative aims to direct $90 million towards enhancing public safety facilities, with $50 million earmarked for a new police training center at the UNT Dallas campus. Should the proposal be approved, construction is expected to start within the year, with the completion of the training center anticipated by 2027.
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However, the project has its detractors. “Stop Cop City Dallas,” a local group, has been actively opposing the training facility. They have been engaging the community by knocking on doors and organizing town halls to express their concerns and gather feedback. Particularly, they focus on the potential effects on District 8, which demographics show is 51% Black and 45% Hispanic or Latino according to 2022 city data.
“We worry that will disproportionately impact that community,” Stop Cop City Dallas Organizer Tamera Hutcherson said to WFAA. “We have been out canvassing in District 8 and the common narrative we’re hearing from residents of the district is why not invest in other means of public safety instead of policing?”
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Hutcherson explains that public safety is often mistakenly seen as just adding more police, rather than addressing the underlying reasons why crime happens in the first place.
She points out that societal issues like inequality often push people towards criminal activities. Community feedback suggests a preference for investments in solutions like more affordable housing or improved mental health services rather than increased policing. While acknowledging the Dallas Police Department’s RIGHT care unit program, which works to address mental health issues, Hutcherson questions why there isn’t a broader expansion of such initiatives, especially given that Dallas County Jail is the top facility for detaining individuals with mental health conditions.
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia acknowledges the need for more officers and better training facilities. He highlights that the existing police academy is outdated, underscoring the need for the proposed upgrades.
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“I’ll be honest with you, it’s embarrassing and not indicative of who we are,” Garcia said of the current academy. “They deserve better. Our city deserves better.”
WFAA team covered this story in details, please find more information here.
