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Council approves interlocal agreement for Longview Police to partner with Kilgore College on basic police academy
Summary
Council approved an interlocal agreement to formalize a partnership allowing the Longview Police Department to use Kilgore College facilities and administrative support for its basic peace officer academy; council approved the resolution by voice vote.
The Longview City Council voted on Jan. 23 to authorize the city manager to execute an interlocal agreement allowing the Longview Police Department to collaborate with Kilgore College to train peace officers in East Texas.
Chief Anthony Boone described the department’s academy history and the limits of current space and administrative capacity. Boone said Longview began running a basic police academy in May 2020, has trained more than 100 officers in the region and is currently conducting its eighth academy. He said the department uses sworn officers as subject-matter experts for instruction but lacks multiple classrooms, a classroom at the firearms range and a driving course.
Under the partnership described to council, Kilgore College would provide a full-time classroom on a Longview site, access to a secondary firearms range with a full-size classroom and access to a driving course/skid pad south of the Kilgore campus. Kilgore College administrative staff would also assist with required academy paperwork. Boone said tuition would be split roughly 50/50 and that Kilgore College would process applications and maintain academic records if council approved the agreement.
Boone said the academy is limited to full-time employees sponsored by agencies (police or sheriff’s offices) and that the state allows certain recruits to enter at age 20, though most recruits are 21 or older; graduates enter the sponsoring agency’s field training program. Kilgore College officials in the chamber — identified by Boone as Kilgore College President Dr. Kaye, Dean Shaw and Assistant Dean Zachary — spoke in support of the agreement.
Gregg County Sheriff Maxi Sirliano, who said he also chairs the East Texas Police Academy advisory board, endorsed the partnership and noted previous county-city equipment and training collaborations. Council members praised the regional collaboration and the potential to save money while expanding training capacity.
A council member moved to approve the interlocal agreement; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The meeting record does not list individual roll-call tallies. The resolution authorizes the city manager (or designee) to execute the agreement and to proceed with the application process through Kilgore College.
