City breaks ground on police facility 

Vice-Mayor Rich Vitiello seemed to sum it up best. 

“Another great day in the city of Maricopa,” Vitiello said Wednesday morning, referring to the groundbreaking ceremony for the city’s future Police Administration and Emergency Communications Center.  

City Council members and police officials ceremoniously plunged their shovels into the ground and turned the dirt, signifying the beginning of construction.  

The $24.5 million facility is being built on the northeastern corner of West Bowlin Road and North Maya Angelou Drive. This location will place officers in a more central position as the city expands east from John Wayne Parkway.  

During Wednesday’s ceremony, new Police Chief Mark Goodman thanked community members, the executive leadership team, council members and the Police Department for their support. 

“The building of a new police facility shows the city and community’s commitment to keeping Maricopa one of the safest places to live, work and play in the state of Arizona,” Goodman said.  

It will cover about 32,000 square feet on a single floor, allowing for better communication throughout the department. And to accommodate growth in the city, the building is being built to expand.  

“The state-of-the-art police facility will be integral in serving the public safety and law enforcement needs of the growing Maricopa community,” Goodman said.  

It will house the Police Department and include a jail area with four holding cells, administration services and as many as 20 dispatch consoles.  

And Jim Patterson, the lead designer at Gabor Lorant Architects, said the building represents the city’s collective vision, supplying the necessary resources and technology to police and 911 dispatchers.  

“The building will provide a safe, modern and inspiring place for them to work so they can focus on their important mission of protecting and supporting this community,” Patterson said. 

Comprising 70 sworn officers, 20 civilian employees, two reserve officers and 77 volunteers, the Police Department serves more than 70,000 residents.  

City Council members believe that Maricopa’s Police Department deserve this.  

“It takes a very special breed of person to run towards the noise, run towards the craziness and run towards securing a situation,” council member Henry Wade said. “Having a building that represents them — quality, class, security and comfort — is the least we can do.”  

Starting on Feb. 13, a team from Caliente Construction will begin the layout and move in equipment. Construction is expected to take about 18 months, according to city officials.   

Read links to previous related stories: 

New police building to start construction – InMaricopa  

Maricopa Police Department Prepares for New Station Construction – InMaricopa  

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