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Killeen Police Department adds call box for citizens

Posted at 3:16 PM, Jul 05, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-06 00:21:55-04

With crime rates up this year... Killeen interim Police Chief Margaret Young is trying something different.

"Anytime we can have a better use of our resources and improve the services we offer is good and I think right now crime is something that we need to be concerned about and I want to put as many resources there as I can," Chief Young said.

The Killeen Police Department said they have installed an emergency call box at their North Precinct Building, which will get you in contact with the Killeen Police Department.

The new call box at the north precinct building will allow two officers per shift... who'd normally be behind a desk... be behind the wheel of their patrol cars.
Chief Young says the system is simple.

"If its not an emergency you can push the black button which will go straight to the headquarters and they will dispatch an officer. If it is an emergency you hit the 9-1-1 button and it will go to the dispatch center in Belton," Chief Young said.

This new addition is following staffing changes at the precinct, including the fact that the information desk will no longer be staffed with an officer. 

"I know the call box is going to be a change because it's something new, but I also feel that with the safety of the citizens having more officers on the road and I have even heard several people mention they want more officers on the road and unfortunately I can't just come up with more officers so the best use of the officers that I do have I think will be a direct help in keeping the citizens safe," Chief Young said.

The call box was installed on Monday.

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