El Paso City Council approves purchase of Bonham Elementary for new Police Regional Command Center

UPDATE: In a unanimous vote, members of City Council voted to approve the purchase of Bonham Elementary School.

The city will acquire approximately 13 acres of land with this purchase. 

El Paso Police Chief, Peter Pacillas, said all the personnel currently at their downtown location will be moved to the new facility. 

He said they will keep the old building for bicycle officers to work out of. 

Pacillas adds they've outgrown their current facility and this will allow for better community access. 

"It's small. We have both our patrol officers. We have our bike officers stationed someplace else, and then our detectives all trying to work out of a small station," he said.

Officials said with this approval from council, they are ready to start the design process and hope to have it complete by this year.

They plan to start procurement for construction early next year.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso City Council is being asked to approve the purchase of a former EPISD school for the building of a new Police Regional Command Center.

The project was approved by voters in 2019 as part of the Public Safety Bond and will cost an estimated $24.6 million.

A city spokesperson confirms to ABC-7 that the city is looking to buy Bonham Elementary School, located at 7024 Cielo Vista Drive.

If approved, the city will move forward with its plan to construct an approximately 27,000-square-foot facility with new work and community rooms for police, a new public lobby, administrative offices, and secure parking.