Applying physical distancing measures to a close-knit police team meant moving large numbers of police support staff as well as whole crime investigation units out of police HQ. The Dallas Public Library shared 10 of its 27 branch locations and three floors of the Central Library with the Dallas Police Department for this purpose. We hosted the homicide and gang unit detectives, lawyers and the open records department. We did relocate them to alternate locations when we reopened for curbside services in select locations.

The logistics of sharing building access and alarm codes was quickly resolved. Coordinating the technology of adding access to the police computer network to library computers locked down for public use was the biggest challenge. We then surprised them by offering the use of 50 laptops we had in storage thereby allowing more officers to work remotely. The library’s generosity, DPD soon learned, is the library’s normal operating procedure. At Central we shared the space as key library staff were still coming in daily.

Having the police coming and going was a security benefit at an otherwise vacant building. The unexpected outcome was seeing the detectives and police staff utilize library materials while in our buildings and learning all the library has to offer the community. We heard many times, “I didn’t know the library offers that!” Now we have many library advocates patrolling our streets and encouraging our residents to visit the library.