Dallas broke ground September 3 on the Law Enforcement Training Center, a $200+ million complex going up on 20 acres of the UNT Dallas campus. It will replace the city's current police academy, which has operated out of a rented warehouse since 1990.
The project puts training space and academic space in the same footprint. Classrooms, indoor and outdoor training areas, computer labs and event space are all part of the build, sitting next to UNT Dallas's existing criminal justice department.
Paying For It
The funding is coming from several directions:
A May 2024 voter approved bond
State of Texas dollars
Private donor gifts and the Communities Foundation of Texas
An ongoing fundraising campaign, plus a second bond election in November
That second bond hasn't happened yet. The source is clear that closing the remaining funding gap depends on it, so the project's full financing isn't locked in at groundbreaking.
Training That Pays Off Twice
Recruits and officers won't just be training here. They'll be banking college credit while they do it.
DPD's 10-month academy: up to 42 hours toward a degree
TCOLE-licensed training, a 6-month track: up to 33 hours
HKS is the primary design firm, with other firms brought on for construction and project management. The site also includes an outdoor yard for the department's mounted patrol.
Dallas is separately planning a Public Safety Training Complex at Executive Airport, with a shooting range, a simulated city for tactical drills and an emergency vehicle obstacle course.
The center is set to open in 2028. That's a multi year build to watch, especially with a bond election still standing between this project and full funding.
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