Shipley Do-Nuts announced the opening of a new Abilene location via Facebook on Oct. 30.

The news excited ACUPD, as Police Chief Jimmy Ellison wrote on Facebook, “Forget midterm elections…At last…REAL donuts FINALLY coming to Abilene!! Shipley’s Donuts breaking ground on Buffalo Gap Rd!”

Ellison said Shipley Do-Nuts is to donuts what Blue Bell is to ice cream and what Coca Cola is to soft drinks – the best.

When he went to the police academy in 1984, Ellison said he gained 10 pounds because part of their training was recognizing “great” donuts, how to investigate bad shops, the history of donuts. Similar to the way students use flash cards, Ellison said as a cadet, he had to sample multiple donuts from every ship in town to pass the blind taste test.

“I may have struggled through Constitutional law, may have squeaked through in Traffic Code, but to this day, I’m proud that I aced Donut History and Appreciation. It has carried me far in my career one dozen at a time,” Ellison said.

The stereotype of police and donuts comes from the fact that donut shops used to be the only places open 24/7.

“Donut shops were the only place cops on any shift could get out of the car, drink a cup of coffee and work on paperwork during their shift,” Ellison said. “We didn’t have laptops in cars, we had clipboards and paper/carbon forms that actually required handwriting. Cops often met up at donut shops and did their reports or talked about the nights activities with other cops. In Beaumont, we even had standing orders that we could have no more than three units out at any one time at any of the donut shops.”

Ellison clarified that cops prefer to use the term “police biscuits” rather than “donuts” because it sounds less sugary.

Shipley Do-Nuts plans to open next fall, according to the owner, Ryan Wilson. The shop started in Houston in 1936 and offers over 60 items including donuts, kolaches, pastries and drinks.