The town of Copper Canyon is hosting a meet-and-greet breakfast Saturday for the community to meet its new police department.
Town Councilman Rudy Castillo said the town decided to start its own PD because it was contracting with the Denton County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement in the small town, but the DCSO couldn’t provide the coverage the town wanted.
“The DCSO has had staffing issues, we contracted with them for two deputies, but the time came when they couldn’t support that and they reduced coverage to one officer, which I believed was inadequate for what I wanted the town to have,” Castillo said. “We do not have a high crime rate, but the time to get a PD is not when crime is high, because then it’s too late.”
The town recently hired a police chief, Roger Tighe, a full-time officer, Chris Weisinger, and a reserve officer, David Rosenthal. Castillo said the town has funding and plans to eventually add another full-time officer to improve the town’s coverage and response time.
“Copper Canyon is not a small community in the countryside, we’re now in the thick of it, surrounded by large towns who all have police departments. Their response time is often much faster when depending on county assets that may or may not be available,” Castillo said. “I am super excited about the position we’re in, that we’re finally able to reach objective of having our own dept and enjoy the benefits of having a department that answers to Town Council and the citizens.”
The community is invited to the new Copper Canyon Police Department Breakfast at 9 a.m. Saturday at Town Hall, 400 Woodland Drive. Residents will be able to meet the town’s new officers and see a Denton County ESD No. 1 fire engine.
