A $143,000 donation from Wyatt Ranches is funding new equipment for the Agua Dulce Marshals and Alice Police Department, including body cameras, vehicles, technology, and body armor — all at no cost to taxpayers.
The building that houses the Agua Dulce Marshals and serves as the home of city council meetings was also funded entirely by Wyatt Ranches at a cost of just over $1 million, with no expense to taxpayers.
Agua Dulce Marshal Joe Martinez said Wyatt Ranches is crucial to his agency's operations.
"The funding here in the city is, is, is scarce. If the foundation was to say, well, we're not gonna fund the marshal's office, it would be shut down." Martinez said.
The donation is also going toward updated equipment that Alice Police Chief Eden Garcia said is much needed.
"The body cams, the vehicles that they're purchasing for us, the technology that we're utilizing that we're purchasing and we'll utilize to better our departments, all of this from the White Ranchers Foundations at no cost to our taxpayers" Garcia said.
Body armor is also among the items on the equipment list. Martinez said officer safety is the ultimate goal.
"A bulletproof vest could save your life. And that's our ultimate goal is the safety of our officers." Martinez said.
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