Buda Mayor Bobby Lane, with Chief Bo Kidd beside him, swears in the first Buda Police Department. The new officers will work 12-hour shifts, seven days a week. (Photo by Jen Biundo)
by JENNIFER BIUNDO
Nine of Buda’s finest donned new blue uniforms and took their oaths of office Tuesday night, in the inaugural ceremony of the Buda Police Department. Buda patrol cars were scheduled to hit the streets at 6 a.m. Wednesday morning, taking over the beat from the Hays County Sheriff’s Office.
“The citizens of Buda will be well served,” Buda Police Chief Bo Kidd told citizens and city leaders gathered at City Hall.
Buda Mayor Bobby Lane said the ceremony marked the culmination of three years of planning.
“This is just a real great day for Buda,” Lane said. “We’re very proud of Bo and what he’s been able to do to bring this force together.”
Kidd formerly served as chief of the Buda Patrol, a division of the Hays County Sheriff’s Office contracted to provide dedicated law enforcement services in Buda city limits. All nine members of the Buda PD formerly worked for the Hays County Sheriff’s Office, and several were stationed in the Buda area.
“These are all seasoned veteran officers that possess experience and a familiarity with this area,” Kidd said.
Buda officers will patrol the streets 24-7, with shifts from 6 a.m.-6 p.m., 6 p.m.-6 a.m., and an overlapping shift from 2 p.m.-2 a.m.
The chief, detective and seven officers have been in training for the last month, and this week moved into their new police station on Houston Street, just east of City Hall. The building is operational, though renovations will be ongoing for about another month, Kidd said.
The city developed the contractual law enforcement plan in 2007 with former sheriff Allen Bridges, bringing in additional officers dedicated to Buda. The city had been paying about $725,000 annually to the Hays County Sherriff’s Office for law enforcement services, but moved last year to terminate the county contract and build a home-grown police force. The city’s operation is budgeted to run at about $700,000 annually, with most of the funds going to personnel.
Hays County is providing dispatching services to the new police department free through the end of the year.
Former Hays County sheriff Don Montague praised the new force coming online.
“Buda is extremely fortunate to have a chief of police with officers of this level of experience,” Montague said. “All of these folks worked with me at one time and I think they’re going to do an excellent job for Buda.”
