The Town of Westlake has voted not to renew its longstanding police services agreement with the City of Keller, ending a public safety partnership that has served the community for more than two decades.
The Westlake Town Council voted unanimously on Tuesday not to renew the agreement. The current contract remains in effect through September 30, 2028.
Keller police currently provide Westlake with patrol, dispatch, detention, animal services, and school resource officers for Westlake Academy. Keller’s police department confirms the agreement remains in effect and that officers will continue serving Westlake through its expiration date.
Westlake Thanks Keller Police
Westlake Mayor Kim Greaves said the town appreciates Keller’s service since the partnership began in 2002.
“We are extremely grateful for the service that Chief Brad Fortune and the entire Keller Police Department has provided to Westlake for more than two decades,” Greaves said. “We have tremendous respect for the men and women of the Keller Police Department and deeply appreciate their commitment to our residents and our community.”
Westlake said it plans to announce details about its future public safety arrangements at a later date.
“We want our residents to know that this process is being approached thoughtfully and with the best interests of Westlake at the forefront,” Greaves said.
Westlake, which sits just north of the city of Keller, encompasses roughly seven square miles of land and has a population of about 2,000, according to the town’s website.
Keller Mayor Expresses Disappointment
Keller Mayor Ross McMullin said he was disappointed by Westlake’s decision, while emphasizing that the existing agreement remains in place for another two years.
“I remained hopeful that despite recent disagreement between the communities over Westlake’s proposed data center, that we could continue to find a way for our communities to move past the political rhetoric,” McMullin said.
Keller police said the department will continue providing the same level of service to Westlake residents, visitors, workers and students until the agreement expires.
“Westlake residents and visitors had no role in this decision, and they deserve nothing less than our very best through the final day,” Keller Police Chief Brad Fortune said, WFAA reported.
Keller said it will use the remaining time to plan for the financial and operational effects of the contract’s expiration.
The existing arrangement has been a significant regional partnership. Keller’s 2025 annual report lists the Westlake police services agreement at $1.26 million for fiscal year 2025.
Data Center Dispute Strains Relationship
The decision comes amid an ongoing dispute between the neighboring communities over the proposed Circle T Data Center.
The planned complex would occupy 87.9 acres at 13580 Denton Highway near the Keller-Westlake border. The property is zoned for industrial use and is about 1,200 yards from the nearest Westlake neighborhood but approximately 506 feet from Keller’s Marshall Ridge neighborhood.
A homeowners association and two Westlake residents have sought court intervention to prevent the Westlake Town Council from approving development plans. A temporary restraining order has been extended while evidence is reviewed, with the latest hearing scheduled for September 25.
Keller also voted in August to pursue legal action related to the proposed data center.
The dispute over the development has added tension to a relationship that otherwise included extensive cooperation between the two communities.
Keller Pledges Continued Service
Keller police said the end of the agreement will not change the department’s responsibilities while the contract remains active.
Officers will continue responding to calls, conducting investigations and traffic enforcement, serving Westlake Academy and providing other services covered by the agreement.
Keller’s police department also maintains a Chief’s Advisory Council that includes the Town of Westlake as part of its community-policing structure.
McMullin said Keller will remain committed to providing professional service through the contract’s final day.
“We will remain professional, respectful, and fully committed to the communities we serve,” McMullin said.
