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Since joining the Altoona Police Department as chief back in 2017, I have had a front row seat in watching this community grow. From expanding my department to moving into a new city hall and public safety building, the change has been tangible and allows us to best serve our citizens.
As our community has grown, service needs have grown as well. A larger community means there is a need for more officers, facilities, and training.
Our public safety building, which opened in 2019, features a 12-lane firing range, interrogation rooms, booking room, sallyport, roll call room, training areas, and locker rooms. Not to mention, we also have a new fire department that is currently in construction. This facility reflects the continued need to expand the services our growing community relies on.
Data center companies Lightedge, Meta, and Tract have been excellent community partners, and their investment in Altoona has contributed to the overall financial resources the city is able to utilize.
An important piece of the data center conversation that's often overlooked is the impact these projects have on improving services communities depend on. We've seen Meta provide support to the Altoona Public Library, Altoona Area Historical Society, Altoona Enabling Garden, Altoona Kids Café, and many other organizations. These companies also continue to support area schools by providing grants and donations.
And Altoona isn't alone when it comes to seeing the real impacts a data center can make on a community. Our friends in West Des Moines have seen investment in their schools as well as road and water infrastructure. None of this was by accident. Both Altoona and West Des Moines' partnership with data centers came from asking the right questions and learning how these projects could best serve our constituents.
Simply put, supporting data center growth and responsible oversight are not in competition. When developed responsibly, data centers can provide communities with the tools needed to support intentional growth.
Greg Stallman is the chief of the Altoona Police Department.