Construction of a $22 million Marana Police Department station, complete with an indoor shooting range, is set to start next summer.
The state-of-the-art facility will be built on the existing Marana Municipal Complex at 11555 W. Civic Center Drive, said Jennifer Christelman, the town’s deputy director of engineering.
“All of our officers are real excited to have a true police facility that will meet all our needs and provide and facilitate training in a centralized building,” said Police Chief Terry Rozema.
Because of limited space at the existing station officers must use other facilities for classroom activities and training, including Northwest Fire District’s training academy and a privately owned shooting range near the Marana Regional Airport, said Sgt. Chris Warren.
Once the new station is built, the department will be able to host more regional trainings and work with other law enforcement agencies, Warren said.
In addition to an indoor shooting range, the new facility will include separate holding cells for adults and juveniles, and a section for officers to draw a suspect’s blood for DUI investigations.
There also will be an area to offer care and amenities to the police dogs, including kennels and an indoor and outdoor area. The new station will have a room for virtual shooting exercises and an area for defensive tactical training.
The facility will include classrooms and community rooms that will be available for public use.
Officers will have a physical fitness facility, showers and locker rooms. Police headquarters will include evidence storage rooms, and an armory for weapons storage. There will be spacious parking areas for the public, and a secured parking lot for police vehicles.
New station years
in the making
Research, planning and development for the 54,000-square-foot facility began years ago, including public hearings and informational forums.
Rozema and his command staff, along with Christelman, researched and toured more than 15 stations in Arizona and in other states to give the architects input on the new building’s design. Officers and staff workers also had their say.
The Town Council passed a community-supported half-cent sales tax to generate $18 million dedicated to the new facility, said Christelman. The remaining cost will be covered by $3 million from the general fund and $1 million from RICO funds. The funds will pay for design, construction, furnishings and police equipment.
RICO funds are monies seized during criminal investigations under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. The forfeited monies are distributed to law enforcement agencies for police work.
A project management firm, architect and construction contractor were selected in the spring through a bid process. Abacus, Architekton and CORE Construction received contracts for the work.
Town officials said the new police station will accommodate Marana’s growth over the next 20 years. According to the July 2015 Census Bureau, Marana has a population of 41,315, and the town’s staff projects that in 20 years it will have about 64,000, Christelman said.
Currently, the Marana Police Department has 89 sworn officers and 28 civilian employees. The department’s annual budget is $12.1 million.
