PROPOSITION A - PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES

$443 Million for Five Public Safety Facility Projects

Dallas is operating and training public safety personnel in several facilities that are aging, constrained, at capacity, or not designed for modern public safety operations. Proposition A proposes investments in five facilities supporting police training, evidence protection, 911 and emergency operations, and fire-rescue services.

 

1. COMPLETE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING CENTER - $82M

Current condition: DPD's existing Red Bird training facilities are aging and insufficient for modern recruit and in-service training.

Proposed project: Complete the new Law Enforcement Training Center at UNT Dallas, including classrooms, physical training and health/fitness space.

Funding already committed: $50 million from the 2024 Bond Program, $25 million in State grants and $70 million in private donations.

 

2. BUILD A PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING COMPLEX - $149M

Current condition: DPD lacks adequate modern facilities for specialized driving, firearms and scenario-based training. The current firearms range is extremely outdated; the Police Chief has described it as the worst gun range he has seen during his law-enforcement career.

Proposed project: Develop more than 60 acres at Dallas Executive Airport for emergency vehicle operations, driving and street-grid training, indoor/outdoor firearms training and realistic scenario-based training.

 

3. MODERNIZE POLICE EVIDENCE & PROPERTY STORAGE - $150M

Current condition: The existing property facility dates to the 1940s, has reached storage capacity and has documented security and space limitations. It has active roof leaks that risk damaging critical evidence; storage extends more than 17 feet high in areas with approximately 18-foot ceilings; the operation is responsible for storing more than 200,000 firearms; and employee restrooms and kitchen/break facilities are outdated.

Proposed project: Consolidate property and evidence storage, crime-scene laboratory functions and evidentiary vehicle storage into a modern facility.

 

4. RELOCATE & MODERNIZE 911 AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS - $40M

Current condition: Dallas' 911 and Emergency Operations Center functions operate from the basement of City Hall. The current environment lacks modern technology, does not meet current industry standards, and has documented facility and employee working-condition concerns, including outdated restrooms and kitchen/break areas. Project materials identify Dallas as one of the few major cities that continues to house these critical operations inside City Hall.

Proposed project: Renovate and equip an existing City-owned property outside the Central Business District for 911 and emergency operations, strengthening reliability and continuity during emergencies.

 

5. REPLACE FIRE STATION NO. 4 - $22M

Current condition: Fire Station No. 4 has served downtown since 1953 and is DFR's highest-priority station for replacement. The existing property cannot accommodate the fifth apparatus bay identified as necessary for the downtown service area.

Proposed project: Construct a modern five-bay fire station to serve downtown and its changing public-safety needs.

 

WHAT THE $443 MILLION WOULD ADDRESS

• Police Training: Modern recruit, firearms, driving and scenario-based training.

• Evidence Protection: Increased capacity, security and environmental protection for critical evidence.

• 911 & Emergency Preparedness: More resilient facilities and modern technology for critical emergency operations.

• Replacement of a 73-year-old downtown fire station that cannot accommodate current expansion needs.

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

These five projects address documented public safety facility needs - from where police officers train and evidence is protected to where emergency calls are answered and firefighters respond.

The proposal is about the physical infrastructure behind public safety and whether those facilities have the capacity, technology, security and resiliency necessary to support the needs of a growing major city.