Coconut Creek Prepares for Major Police Headquarters Expansion, Hurricane-Resilient Upgrades

by David Volz September 8, 2024

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Coconut Creek Prepares for Major Police Headquarters Expansion, Hurricane-Resilient Upgrades

Coconut Creek Police Department and City Hall. {Google Maps}

Coconut Creek will be getting a renovated police headquarters, including an addition.

The city is in the preliminary stages of designing a new law enforcement headquarters building. The commission has increased property taxes in part to pay for the project.

According to Scotty Leamon, public information officer, the conceptional plan includes demolishing the existing apparatus bay at 4800 West Copans Road and building a two-story, 21,000-square-foot risk category IV addition rated to withstand category five hurricane winds. The plan also includes renovating the existing police station and constructing a small arms training range.

Due to its complexity and the need to maintain police operations, the project will be done in phases.

“The most critical police functions will be in the new building. The floor plan and determination of what will go into the new addition and what will remain in the renovated building will be made during the project’s design phase,” said Leamon.

According to him, the building was initially constructed in the mid-1980s. The renovation will reconfigure the spaces to meet the needs of a modern police department and update the utilities within the building. It will also support the infrastructure for the new body-worn camera system. It’s early to determine if there will be any added tech besides that.

“With the city at nearly 58,000 residents and expected to grow, the police department’s building is simply too small for its size with 119 sworn officers and 44 civilians,” said Leamon.

He added that the renovation will allow more room for the agency members to work, train, and provide better customer service, enhancing the residents’ experience. Furthermore, the project will significantly improve the resiliency of the police department’s facility.

The final cost for the project has yet to be determined.

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David Volz

David Volz has worked as a writer in South Florida for 35 years. He has written for the Sun-Sentinel, Hollywood Gazette, School Transportation News, South Dade News Leaders, Observer among others. He has an MA in Communications from Florida Atlantic University and a BA in Communications from Valparaiso University. Volz teaches Communications at Miami Dade College and Palm Beach State College. He lives in Coral Springs and enjoys running and participating in 5Ks and half-marathons.