Dallas police recruits have been training in a crowded, musty building in Red Bird for decades, despite promises that the department will get a brand new academy.

They may have to stay there longer if the city can’t get the money for the project.

Dallas voters soundly rejected a $443 million public safety bond package that would’ve put millions toward the academy and fund four other police and fire projects.

Now, Dallas is short $82 million to finish construction on already broken ground at the University of North Texas at Dallas.

“We’re in the same position we were a few months ago,” said Jennifer Nicewander, director of the city’s office of bond and construction management.

City leaders banked on voter approval to have enough money to pay for the academy and the other projects, Nicewander told the public safety committee meeting Monday

But voters across North Texas showed they didn’t want to approve any bond measures. The Dallas proposition failed by 12 percentage points.

The ballot failure has shown there’s not a clear Plan B for the academy and other law enforcement needs

Dallas voters were asked to approve $50 million in bond money in 2024 for the new police academy — which they did — but city leaders said this year that the investment wasn’t enough. The project already relied on sizable private donations. Only half the promised $70 million in donations has been raised.

The academy plan doesn’t cover other police training needs. City officials also want to build a separate law enforcement training center that will house a gun range and driving track. That project is estimated to cost $170 million.

It’s only 12% funded. The city has $15 million from the aviation department’s budget to do pre-enabling work and has secured $6 million in sponsorships.

Other funding options

Some council members have floated a May bond election to pay for the police academy, but others don’t want to ask taxpayers for more money.

City officials are also looking to go back to the Texas Legislature to get some state dollars.

Workforce czar Lynn McBee says fundraisers will “keep moving forward” to meet their goal to raise $70 million in private funds for the police academy and build at least the key components, including new classrooms and reality-based training rooms.

Former council member Tennell Atkins was emphatic that the academy will be completed. He said the city must ensure the building doesn’t end up as yet another project the city asked voters to pay for but was never actually built.

“We got no choice,” said Atkins, who chairs the fundraising task force.

Council member Adam Bazaldua said he doesn’t know where the city is going to find the rest of the funds. He has been part of a camp of city officials who have questioned why taxpayers were being asked to cover the shortfall when the academy was supposed to be funded mainly with donor funds.

No one has so far committed to giving more.

Atkins said fundraisers can’t go back to the private and corporate donors just yet. They need to collect another $38 million first.

Other public safety projects

Meeting a higher fundraising goal for the academy doesn’t resolve the limbo the other projects are in.

Officials have not said if they’re going to continue with plans to move the 911 emergency center out of City Hall, nor is there any money identified for a consolidated property room and crime lab and downtown fire station.

Fire Chief Justin Ball’s latest update showed the replacement station was proposed as part of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center project and was going to be located at the city-owned parking lot near the former Reunion Arena.

The city has not committed any convention center project funds to the fire station.

Total project costs that were part of the bond proposal included:

• Police academy at University of North Texas at Dallas: $227 million — $82 million gap
• Public safety training complex at Dallas Executive Airport: $170 million — $149 million gap
• Consolidated property room and crime lab: $150 million — unfunded
• 911 emergency center: $40 million — unfunded
• Fire station 4: $22 million — unfunded

Staff writer Chase Rogers contributed to this article.

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