The Sunnyvale Police Department officially opened its doors and is now fully operational starting Thursday.
The department was established in November 2019 and since then, the department has been training and hiring police officers, renovating their location and obtaining equipment, Chief Andrew Hawkes said.
"We're looking forward to serving our community," Hawkes said.
Previously, the town had relied on the Dallas County Sheriff's Office for its law enforcement needs. The contract with the office recently expired.
Hawkes was hired last year and previously served as the police chief for the City of Jacksonville, Texas from 2016 to 2019. Prior to that, he spent 25 years in the Dallas-Fort Worth area before retiring as a Lieutenant for the Collin County Sheriff's Office.
Starting Sept. 28, any resident calling 911 will be transferred to the Seagoville Police Department dispatch center.
During a Sept. 28 town council meeting, the Dallas County Sheriff's Office was recognized for providing law enforcement services.
In 2014, Dallas County Commissioners tasked the town with creating a law enforcement department independent of the sheriff's office.
"While this is a bittersweet moment, this is a sign of growth and progress for the Town of Sunnyvale," Sheriff Marian Brown said in a statement.
Dallas County Sheriff's Office will continue to assist the Sunnyvale Police Department when or if needed as is the case with the rest of the 32 cities in Dallas County.
