It’s often thought that the simple solution to support police department growth would be to build a big addition. The primary issue with this approach is that, unlike other building types, police departments don’t grow symmetrically. Police stations are split into a number of distinct areas driven by function—patrol, investigations, records, etc. Each grows at its own unique pace. Where one would probably benefit with a building addition, another area may not.
Real-World Examples of Police Department Growth
Over the course of twenty years, a police department may only add one records clerk and two detectives. But it may add 20 patrol officers, a six-person tactical unit in investigations, four evidence technicians to run a new crime lab, and may open a new cyber crimes task force with two subject-matter experts to run it and two civilians to keep track of inventory. Meanwhile, the deputy chief just returned from a police show and is convinced you need a 40 foot long command vehicle. Great, where do you park it?
Short-Term Growth Strategies: Addressing Growth by a Department-by-Department Basis
Growth needs to be addressed on a department-by-department basis. Ideally, short-term growth strategies are baked right into a brand new building. If you know you’re going to have two additional detectives within the next 10 years, it’s wise to plan space for those workstations from day one. This way, when they start there’s no need to move or displace others.
Medium-Term Growth Strategies: Addressing Less Predictable Changes
Medium-term growth is more challenging, as it covers many of the less predictable segments of a police department. Because of an annexation containing 7,500 new home sites, a police station may need an additional patrol beat which could add as many as eight new patrol officers in one fell swoop.
Some argue that patrol officers spend little time in a police station. In a sense, that’s true. But each officer needs a place to write reports, as well as a personnel locker to put his or her duty bag.
One solution: Maybe you installed duty bag lockers in a hallway on the way to the officers’ cars. There may be a few extra lockers in the row, but not eight. Pick stackable lockers with space above, so you can stack new lockers above the old.
Long-Term Growth Strategies: Here Comes the Addition
Long-term growth does require structured additions, but planning from the beginning means the table is set for these additions. Isolate areas that you think could have an explosive growth rate by locating them near exterior walls. Plan to locate utilities and parking to set up a pad for future expansion.
One example: evidence storage. Many departments grapple with continuously growing evidence storage needs. Since this is typically a less expensive space to construct—provided you plan ahead for an addition—even designing for this long term growth is painless.
Designing Police Facilities that can Grow over Time
There’s no question that there’s significant capital investment of time, money, and collective intellect involved in building a new police facility. The timescale of public safety facilities are often measured in decades. So, place a strong emphasis on making sure that the facility can grow with the department over an extended period of time. Great police design relies on careful planning from the beginning; taking short-, medium-, and long-term growth into account.
