This decision was reached after Mayor George Fuller proposed this idea to council members during a Sept. 1 work session. Council agreed by consensus to light the tower blue.
“The fact is all of our community support our police, but why do we support our police? We support our police because of how they're engaged in what they do in this community,” Fuller said during the work session. “That is, unfortunately, different than is done in other communities.”
Being sensitive to police reform concerns from parts of the minority community, Fuller said he had interviewed leaders of this community in McKinney to gather their input on lighting the water tower. They also supported the idea, saying the police department, under the leadership of Chief Greg Conley, is engaged with the community and making deliberate efforts to engage minority people in McKinney, including hiring more minority and female officers into the department and mandating mental health training, Fuller said.
The water tower uses an LED light system that the city changes for holidays and other events, so there will be no additional cost for this promotion, city officials said.
“I think this community and at least everyone I have spoken to with regard to this idea over the last week very much acknowledges that our police department is one that deserves and has earned our support,” Fuller said.
