During their Aug. 12 meeting, Dallas City Council opted to put a $443 million public safety bond ballot up for a vote this November.
City Council members met to consider a $960 million proposed bond package to be featured on the November ballot. The meeting concluded with only one of three packages receiving approval, shunting out a $500 million bond for the police and fire pension system and $17 million bond for fleet maintenance.
The approved $443 million package includes a variety of proposed public safety initiatives requiring voter support to advance. These projects will primarily pertain to implementing public safety improvements and building facilities for fire, police and emergency services.
Among the major projects included as part of the bond, two stand out in particular: a Law Enforcement Training Center and a replacement training complex.
The center has long been promised, but the city has only committed roughly half of the funding needed for the estimated $227 million project. Should voters approve, the city would have the capital needed to build the project at the University of North Texas at Dallas. Completing the project would allow the police department to vacate the current dilapidated Red Bird facility.
The training complex – located at Dallas Executive Airport – would replace the police department’s current outdated facility. The site would include an updated gun range, simulated training village and emergency vehicle operation course.
Additional efforts featured in the bond package include creating a new home for 911 and emergency operations, replacing a downtown fire station and developing a police property room and evidence storage facility.
Photo by Nate Hovee from Pexels
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