’23 RECAP: Government

Two big projects moved closer to fruition in 2023 with the completion of the new police station and the municipal court building imminent this year.

Police station
The city broke ground on the new station in February and hopes to complete the project in April.

In the last quarter of 2023, the team paved parking lots and installed other crucial pieces of equipment like chillers and electrical gear.

The facility will be an upgrade of MPD’s current digs and include office space, training areas and interview rooms. There will also be a new and improved 9-1-1 dispatch center, which is built for growth. At the station’s April opening, its jail capacity will be eight holding cells with the ability to expand to 20.

Courthouse
Maricopa’s new municipal courthouse is a 6,300-square-foot facility located next to City Hall. It is slated to open this month.

The new structure was funded by developer fees — not tax dollars — as City Manager Rick Horst explained.

“It will be 100% based on new development coming here,” Horst said. “With those growth needs, they should be paid by the people causing the growth and not the people who are already here.”

Maricopa Municipal Court is a standalone trial court with limited jurisdiction that works within the Arizona court system. It adjudicates misdemeanors, petty offenses and civil violations, including traffic and city-ordinance violations. It is established as a separate, independent branch of city government with a municipal judge, Stephen McCarville, appointed by the city council.

Maricopa previously shared a building and judge with the Pinal County Justice of the Peace.

Like some aspects of the police station, the courthouse is built to expand with demand. Currently, it consists of one courtroom and a jury deliberation room. There is space to add a courtroom.