Officers want better security, calling this Haltom City police building outdated
The building that houses the police department was once a grocery store, and it is not adequate to keep pace with the rapid growth in the city and the security needs of officers, officials said.
The city council voted unanimously to call a $20 million bond election for May 2 to pay for a new building for the police department.
Police chief Cody Phillips said the police department moved into its current building in 1996, but growth is driving the need for more officers
There are 78 officers on the force, but Haltom City will need approximately 93 as the population is expected to hit 50,000 in the next ten years, he said.
Another key concern is security for officers and employees, Phillips said referring to attacks on two police stations in the Bronx where a gunman opened fire, wounding two officers.
Phillips also described how the parking lot at the department is completely open and not secure for the officers.
Councilman Walter Grow, a former police officer, said “I’m worried about a person walking around the parking lot and going into the squad area. For me, this is one of the most important reasons for getting this bond passed. It’s a different world out there,” he said.
City manager Rex Phelps said that property owners won’t see a tax rate increase to pay for the bond as Haltom City continues to pay down its debt.
During Monday’s council meeting, mayor An Truong weighed in on the need to have an up-to-date police department.
“If you want to grow in the future, you have to spend money now,” he said.
This story was originally published February 14, 2020 at 5:45 AM.