MPD gets new building

The Moulton Police Department will be getting a new building for its operations.

“The new police department will be right next to the fire department,” Police Chief Daniel Beyer said. “That lot was donated to us by the SouthStar by the owner of the bank, David Kapavick.”

The current police department is one room in the Moulton City Hall building and it has been the entire Police Department for years.

“We’re very blessed here,” Beyer said. “The size of my department is small in comparison to any other department. I run five full-time positions, myself and four others. I have help, which I’m very blessed, I’m fully staffed. But equipment wise, I have in-car computers, I have software that allows us to do our job in cars and I have body cams. Equipment wise, we’re doing very well. My guys know they’re here to do a job and they do it well. They fit the community well. That’s important, having officers that fit your community. I know I have guys that I’ve hired who have experience and are satisfied being in a small department. So, this new police department is a way for me to give my guys something to be proud of.”

Beyer said he couldn’t have made this new police department without the support of the community.

“With the donation of this lot, I’m encouraged and excited and I feel rejuvenated,” Beyer said. “It gives me a brand new goal to work toward and I want our officers to have something they can be proud of. Our city has limited funds and when I get a budget, I work within that budget. Whatever the city gives me, I’m not going to go over budget. I turn back funds into the general funds and I don’t go over what I’m budgeted."

“I’m very mindful because we need city streets repaired, a sewer system, and we need electricity and water. Those city utilities fund us, they pay the bills, and they keep the lights on. So, we’ve been out looking for grants. We’ve gotten grants, one of which we used to purchase a new truck. We’ve also applied for grants for new body cams and new vests. I’m very mindful that this building will need to be built on grant money. So, we’re going to hustle up some grant money. We’re looking at different avenues on where that may be. The ballpark of this cost will be around $500,000 and $700,000.”

Recently, the City approved an architect to design the facility for the new police department. An anonymous community member has donated the cost of the architect.

History of the MPD

The MPD started in the 1970s under the direction of Stang. At the time, it was a one-man department.

In the 1980s, current mayor of Moulton Mark Zimmerman was hired as police chief. The police department continued as a one-man department, with one reserve officer when Zimmerman was appointed chief. The department was also operating within the Moulton City Hall building at that time.

The police department had to purchase office furniture and supplies. In addition, a new phone was added to City Hall for police administrative purposes. A new direct phone was also added to the Lavaca County Sheriff’s Office Dispatcher. So, if any person in Moulton needed first responders, police, EMS or Fire departments, they were able to call the sheriff’s dispatcher without it being a long distance call.

This was prior to 911. A simple record system was initiated where all calls were documented and filed in the police department.

By 1984, the City of Moulton hired a second patrol officer. Two full-time officers and several reserve officers provided the citizens of Moulton with 24/7 police coverage. This would not have been possible without the assistance of Lavaca County Constable, Precinct 2 Joe Nieto, who, at the time, assisted the police department when called.

Since the 1980s, the police have continued to utilize the one room office located within City Hall.

“The City Hall and Police Department have outgrown the current facility which was constructed in the 1960s,” Zimmerman said. “Due to new security guidelines by the State, our current one office is not in total compliance and has outgrown itself. Chief Beyer has been working on a solution to the current problem with this new police department. The City of Moulton is very fortunate SouthStar Bank is in the process of donating the lot north of the new fire department building. The new facility will not only facilitate the Moulton Police Department , but would have an office for the Lavaca County Sheriff and Lavaca County Constable Precinct 2 to use.”

“A facility will be one the citizens of Moulton will be proud of. It will serve the needs of Moulton for years to come.”