There might be no sector of government or business whose buildings serve such complex—and often competing—purposes as those of law enforcement.

First and foremost, the facility must be safe and secure, and this must be true for employees, visitors, and (where applicable) criminals alike. However, it cannot be too imposing because, as public servants, law enforcement facilities must welcome those who peacefully walk through their doors, from crime victims to schoolchildren.

This careful balance is the challenge every police agency faces when renovating, amending, or constructing a facility. It’s a good thing, then, that a host of resources and firms are available to work closely with agencies to help turn a vision into reality.

“No two of them are alike,” said Greg Read, a senior principal with Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects (BSW), a Dallas, Texas-based architectural firm focusing on criminal justice and public safety facilities. “If you walk in, what is your lobby like? Do you want to welcome the public? How will you keep your staff safe? You want it to be secure, but you may want an open and inviting feel. Lots of these answers come from that particular department’s philosophy and the demographics of that community.”¹

Security issues are top of mind, even for components as seemingly innocuous as parking areas. Should a parking lot be connected to the building or not? Should it have cameras? Should it be a covered lot or a garage? Should there be separate lots for visitors, professionals, and detainees? The permutations are almost endless.

“The planning is unique,” said Brian Meade, associate principal and design director for Dewberry, a facilities design firm specializing in public safety buildings and headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia. “One of the main differences in planning is security. You need proper setbacks. We have to think about the limit of unsecured access to the building, so it starts with site design.”²

Another, perhaps less obvious security factor, is the fact that many buildings remain in use long after their intended life span. As a result, an IACP report states, “They often become seriously overcrowded, suffer from a lack of sufficient infrastructure (HVAC, electrical, data, telecommunication) and make do with outdated security and safety systems.”³

In other words, police facilities that are intended to enhance safety end up potentially compromising it instead.

“Each [police agency] has, or will in the future need to plan, design and build a new headquarters, precinct or substation,” states the IACP Police Facility Planning Guidelines, a document frequently used to help police leaders and designers navigate the building process. “Since the useful life of a police facility can range from 20 to over 50 years, a new facility project is typically a ‘first-time’ experience for most law enforcement executives.”⁴

Making a Plan

Good designs begin with a good plan, and a good plan begins with good communication between a law enforcement agency and the firm or firms it hires.

Everything from floors to doors receives special attention when designing a public safety facility. This is partly because of security demands, but it’s also to create a facility that will be attractive to the public and civic leaders.

To make sure a project checks the right boxes and stays within—or at least close to—budget and time constraints, creating a blueprint for the entire process is an important first step.

A fairly standard starting point both for law enforcement leaders and architects is the IACP Police Facility Planning Guidelines. The document was produced in cooperation with chiefs of police, facilities managers, architects, engineers, and many other experts, and it aims to navigate both police and designers through what can be an extremely complex process.

To help agencies tackle knowledge gaps and time and budget constraints head-on, the IACP document establishes an 18-point framework for discussing, planning, and constructing a new police building (see sidebar). The intention is to optimize the final outcome while making the process it-self as efficient and thoughtful as possible.⁵

Resources like this are helpful guideposts, but an expert design and architectural partner is still essential.

With this in mind, the Dewberry model is one of ease and efficiency. If the idea of a “one-stop shop” appeals to a given agency, Dewberry may be a good option. “We are definitely a true full services practice,” Meade said. “Besides planning and architecture for things like safe setbacks and barriers, we also have in-house security and technology. By having that in house, we save time and effort. It gets us through the process quicker.”⁶

That full services practice can also mean some budgetary advantages “A lot of public sector projects have a limited budget,” Meade acknowledged. “Security cameras, for example, can cost a lot of money. So we can work with our security team to figure out the right number of cameras, and find the spots where they are the most strategic.”⁷

Dewberry, a family-owned company, has been in existence since 1956. Since that date, the firm has worked on more than 100 law enforcement and public safety projects, with services ranging from needs assessments to renovations to additions to brand new facilities.

FGM Architects, a design firm based in Oakbrook, Illinois, is another firm with a lot of experience under one metaphorical roof.

In this case, the company’s expertise is centered specifically in public safety facilities. In 2012, FGM acquired SRBL Architects, a company with a deep background in police projects. As a result, FGM claims to “understand the intricacies of evidence processing, holding cell regulations, ergonomics and stress reduction for emergency dispatchers and the safety of officers during prisoner transfer,” which ultimately translates into better facility designs.⁸

Collaboration Is Key

BSW, like Dewberry, has worked on more than 100 police facilities, Read estimates.

“Police is a whole different world from anything else. There are so many different functions that have to occur,” said Read.⁹

With the needs of each department and facility—not to mention the community it serves—varying widely, no two projects will be alike. That’s why BSW values constant communication and cooperation with its law enforcement agency clients.

“I think what sets us apart is how collaborative we are,” Read said. “We have a lot of meetings, and we don’t force answers. We look at how things can be.”¹⁰

Architects Design Group (ADG), a firm based in Orlando, Florida, with public safety experience, also puts collaboration at the heart of its business model.

In a process known as “strategic teaming,” ADG makes a point to reach out to local architects to jointly tackle big projects, feasi-bility studies, needs assessments, or any other factors of the planning and design process.

“ADG has associated with local architects across the United States for more than 25 years,” ADG’s website states. “This relationship has been successful for our clients as it establishes a national resource for public safety design providing programming, space needs assessment, master planning, and design that is readily available to the local architect and the client. Our teaming approach has been implemented successfully on over 40 projects.”¹¹

Whether an agency is looking to revamp or rebuild its public safety facility, all of the professionals seems to agree that collaboration, communication, and careful planning are key to create the specialized facilities that meet the complex needs of public safety agencies and their communities.♦

Notes:

¹Greg Read (senior principal, Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects), telephone interview, May 16, 2017.

²Brian Meade (associate principal and design director, Dewberry Architects), telephone interview, May 16, 2017.

³International Association of Chiefs of Police, IACP Police Facility Planning Guidelines: Desk Reference for Law Enforcement Executives (Alexandria, VA: IACP, March 2002), v.

⁴Ibid.

⁵Ibid.

⁶Meade, telephone interview, May 16, 2017.

⁷Ibid.

⁸FGM Architects, “Public Safety Expertise: Overview.”

⁹Read, telephone interview, May 16, 2017.

¹⁰Ibid.

¹¹ADG USA, “Strategic Teaming Opportunities.”