Council members took another step Wednesday toward getting the funding necessary to complete the long-awaited Dallas Police Department training academy at the University of North Texas at Dallas, but not before a lengthy discussion over naming rights.
The city council approved the acceptance of over $30 million in state funding and private contributions while authorizing an additional $20 million in construction services for the new $227 million Law Enforcement Training Center (LETC), which broke ground last month.
Completion of the facility as currently designed, however, depends on the outcome of Tuesday’s bond election. Part of Proposition A, which would authorize $443 million in borrowing for several public safety projects, would go toward closing the existing $82 million funding gap for the LETC.
Donations were made by QuikTrip and the W.W. Caruth Foundation, totaling $17.5 million. Council members voted to accept the funds, along with a $15 million state grant representing the remaining portion of a $25 million commitment from the Texas Legislature.
“Securing the full state commitment and private contributions is an important milestone that reinforces our partnership with the State of Texas and our partners,” said City Manager Kimberly Tolbert. “We thank the Office of the Governor, state legislators, and partners who have supported this project.”
Officials emphasized that the money approved Wednesday was already included in the academy’s projected financing plan and does not represent newly identified funding that would reduce the amount being sought from voters.
“I think it’s totally clear now, we’re going to be able to see this out of the ground,” said Council Member Gay Donnell Willis (District 13). “I think our team is in overdrive now because there’s something tangible to point to, the progress that will be made.”
The approvals followed a lengthy discussion over the city’s sponsorship toolkit, which outlines naming-rights opportunities for private donors. Representatives of the City Attorney’s Office explained that the toolkit lacked guidance on the duration of naming agreements. Willis proposed a 20-year term on behalf of staff, later modifying the proposal to allow agreements lasting up to 20 years.
Former council member Jennifer Staubach Gates, a member of the LETC’s private fundraising task force, told council members that the 20-year duration had only been discussed with fundraisers after city attorneys raised the issue the previous day.
She said the timeframe was consistent with practices at other organizations and municipalities and that she did not anticipate objections from donors.
“We want some certainty for donors,” she said, adding that the fundraising team had been using the toolkit to solicit contributions since August.
Council Member Cara Mendelsohn (District 12) questioned why council members were being asked to establish those terms without a more thorough review of the policy, including whether donors would have renewal rights and how different contribution levels might affect the duration of agreements.
“This should be a standard, not a subjective decision, and a donor shouldn’t be like, ‘Well, I wonder if I can get a better deal than this other one,’” Mendelsohn said. “It should just be, here’s what the deal is.”
The city council ultimately approved both the donations and the toolkit, allowing naming-rights agreements of up to 20 years after acknowledging that the debate over the former was “getting in the weeds.”
“Let’s not let the headline be ‘Only Dallas can mess up a $17 million donation,’” said Council Member Chad West (District 1).
Council members also signed off on an additional $20 million to support construction of six buildings for the LETC (a supplemental construction agreement with Swinerton Builders), along with paving, landscaping, and other improvements. Some $29 million was authorized in August for initial site preparation, utilities, and related infrastructure.
The new academy is intended to replace the Dallas Police Department’s aging Red Bird training facilities, which have long struggled to accommodate the department’s needs. Plans for the UNT Dallas campus include classrooms, a reality-based training building, a physical training pavilion, and a Criminal Justice Center serving both police recruits and experienced officers undergoing continuing education.
A separate facility is also in the works, with $149 million of Proposition A bonds anticipated to go toward a Public Safety Training Complex (PSTC) near Dallas Executive Airport. That facility would accommodate specialized instruction, including firearms, driving, and tactical training.
Early voting has been underway, ending Friday, Oct. 30. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. In addition to money for the LETC and PSTC, Proposition A includes $150 million for police evidence storage and crime lab facilities, $40 million to relocate 911 dispatch and emergency operations from Dallas City Hall, and $22 million to replace downtown Fire Station No. 4.
The decision by a majority of the city council to combine all five projects into one ballot measure has generated some controversy, particularly over the proposed relocation of emergency operations from City Hall. Mendelsohn, a vocal opponent of the bond package, has been arguing that voters should be allowed to consider the police training facilities separately from the other projects.
