Temple to buy land for police department expansion

Killeen Daily Herald
BY SHANE MONACO | TELEGRAM STAFF
December 31, 2023

Plans to expand Temple’s Police Department have become a little bit easier.

The purchase of a tract last month near the existing police station in downtown Temple will give the department more room to grow in the coming years. City Council members unanimously approved staff to move forward with the purchase of a property near the station for an estimated $85,000.

Officials said the property being purchased is at 309 E. Ave. A in downtown, just across the street to the east from the existing station.

Owners of the property, officials said, contacted city staff earlier last year through a local real estate agent in order to see if the city was interested in purchasing the property. The owners did so before listing the property for sale.

The city negotiated with the property owners, coming to a price of $80,000 for the property itself with an additional $5,000 set aside to cover closing costs.

The City Attorney’s Office shows that the business plan for the city has outlined a planned expansion for the police department’s campus in 2027.

In recent years city officials have worked to increase support for local law enforcement and emergency responders, including increasing their pay and hiring additional officers.

Since 2021 the city has made efforts to increase the number of patrol districts in the city from eight to 10 in order to deal with the growing number of residents in each district. Shifts also have been moved from eight hours to 10 in order to have shifts overlap on busy parts of the day.

In August, the city approved its yearly budget that included 32 new police officers over the next six years as well as three new animal service officer positions.

City officials said they hope the purchase will help secure the city’s future amidst the recent population increase of the city and the surrounding area.

“Purchase of this property will allow for expansion of the Police Department Campus as the city continues to grow,” a City Council memorandum said.