Council to vote on funding for new police station

The City Council will discuss funding for the city’s proposed new Police Administration Building and Emergency Communication Center at its meeting Dec. 7, possibly clearing the way for the larger facility to begin the process of construction.

The council will review a proposed budget of $25,388,785 for the new facility, which will be located adjacent to the new Pinal County Courthouse complex at 19955 Wilson Ave. The budget includes construction, IT, communications, and outfitting with PSAP consoles. It also includes furniture, fixtures and equipment for the proposed 20,000 square foot facility.

The current 8,000-square-foot building, located just south of city hall off White and Parker Road, opened in 2013. The new, two-story headquarters will be about 2½ times the size of the current facility and will be built with future expansion inn mind. The multi-million-dollar facility is expected to open in the next year or so, according to city manager Rick Horst.

Horst said that similar to the new Library and Cultural Center that opened earlier this year next to the current police headquarters, construction of the new station will include plumbing and electrical work stubbed out to be ready for expansion.

“We’re growing and (the current police station) was never really what the city needed to begin with,” Horst said earlier this year. “We’re talking about two stories because from a safety point of view you want different levels, so you can separate the jail from other police operations. This building will add to the feel of that whole area, with Sprouts, the county complex and our new fire administration building. We’ve also got a couple of other projects coming out there now, plus Estrella Gin.”

The current police station will be redesigned and repurposed, with one possible use being an arts center that could include an art gallery, exhibit areas, music practice rooms, a recital space and classrooms.

Horst indicated fire and police infrastructure was inadequate, but the completion of the new fire administration building, and the new police station, will get the city close to where it should be.