Open house for the newly renovated Kilgore College East Texas Police Academy's classroom facilities made possible by a $190,000 grant from the American Electric Power (AEP) Foundation.

KILGORE — The Kilgore College East Texas Police Academy held an open house Friday for the newly renovated classroom facilities made possible by a $190,000 grant from the American Electric Power Foundation.

AEP presented the grant to Kilgore College in March 2021 to fund classroom renovations and to purchase two new SUVs to be used for police training.

“The East Texas Police Academy has an incredible training program, and SWEPCO is proud to support it with an American Electric Power Foundation grant to enhance classroom facilities and purchase new training vehicles,” Mark Robinson, SWEPCO external affairs manager in Longview, said in a statement.

The renovated classrooms will be renamed as the American Electric Power Foundation Emergency Response Training Facility.

The remodeled academy classroom better accommodates the growing number of female cadets/officers and expands the classroom facility to serve more students, Kilgore College said.

Demonstrations were held at the Friday event showcasing the new SUVs.