Photo courtesy UNT Dallas.
The University of North Texas at Dallas and the City of Dallas announced $10 million in grant funding that will be put towards a Law Enforcement Training Center on the southern Dallas university’s campus Thursday morning.
Currently, the Dallas Police training facility is located in a Red Bird area warehouse, which was intended to be a temporary facility when opened in 1990. The new five-acre campus will be a major upgrade, featuring classrooms, a gym and workout facilities, and virtual reality training technology for law enforcement personnel at all levels.
The grant, given by Communities Foundation of Texas, represents the largest philanthropic contribution ever made to the university.
“I can’t overstate the significance of the gift from CFT and the far-reaching impact it will have,” said Bob Mong, president of UNT Dallas, at a press conference announcing the grant. “The innovative, state-of-the-art facility will serve multiple law enforcement and public safety agencies in North Texas and beyond. It will be a national model for instruction and training in 21st century policing philosophies and techniques.”
With the new center, the Dallas Police Department will become the largest police department with a training facility on a four-year university campus.
In addition to the $10 million grant, $50 million is earmarked for the training facility in the 2024 bond package, which has not yet been finalized, and the state legislature has pledged $20 million to the project.
The latest donation will advance the design and construction process of the facility, which is expected to break ground in 2025 and open by 2027, when the Red Bird warehouse lease runs out.
