Dear Friends,

Two years ago, Dallas voters made a bold statement about the kind of city we want to be.

On May 4, 2024, you voted overwhelmingly to approve Proposition F — $50 million in bond funding to give the Dallas Police Department a training facility worthy of this city. Today, I'm writing to share some exciting news about the status of that investment.

As a member of the Law Enforcement Training Center Task Force, I’ve been working alongside former council members Jennifer Gates and Chair Tennell Atkins to build community awareness around this important project and help secure the remaining $70 million in private philanthropic support needed.

This project is truly a win for all of Dallas. Strong training and a committed police force are critical to our public safety, economic viability, stronger communities and stronger families. 

And the good news is that we are making great progress! We have several large gifts and commitments that we are excited to share publicly soon. And one big one announced just last week: QuikTrip announced a $10 million gift to the Law Enforcement Training Center at UNT Dallas — the largest single philanthropic gift in QuikTrip's history. 

Combined with your bond dollars, and $25 million in funding from the State of Texas, this extraordinary public-private partnership is bringing a next-generation training campus to life.

Here's why the DPD Law Enforcement Training Center at UNT Dallas project matters:

For 36 years, the Dallas Police Academy has operated out of a temporary, leased strip center in the Red Bird area — a facility never designed for police training. Officers have been trained in cramped classrooms with no simulation capability. There is no meaningful space for mental health and wellness programming, and no opportunity to integrate their training into a four-year degree program.

This project changes all of that. And the world-class policing Dallas expects and needs begins with world-class training.

The new DPD Law Enforcement Training Center at UNT Dallas will change all of that. Designed by HKS, managed by Jacobs as the project oversight and owner’s representative firm, and built by Swinerton, the facility will feature immersive, real-world training environments — everything from modern simulation classrooms to proper fitness and wellness space. It will also bring a major civic investment to southern Dallas and create a workforce pipeline connecting UNT Dallas students to careers in public safety.

Groundbreaking is targeted for September 3, 2026, with completion expected in 2028.

As Police Chief Daniel Comeaux has said: "Our men and women deserve better. Building the most proactive, effective police force in the nation begins with great training."

He's right. And thanks to the support of Dallas Bond voters — and the generosity of private partners like QuikTrip and others — it’s happening.

More to come soon,

With gratitude,

Lynn McBee

The state-of-the-art facilities will be custom-made and embedded into an institution of higher learning. Beyond tactical skills, the center supports fitness, mental health, resilience and peer programs — a hub for excellence, innovation and identity that strengthens both the Dallas Police Department and our city.

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