Johnston's New Public Safety Building Closer to Reality

Final design plans for the new Johnston public safety building are expected to be finished by the end of the month.

The $14 million project, which includes a fire department annex, passed with 2,119 votes -- or 82 percent approval -- in Johnston's August special election. The new building will correct a number of deficiencies in the city's .

While resident Wanda Noble has been to the police station only on her way to vote, she approved of the new building.

"I thought it was definitely a need," she said. "I think it's something we can be proud of.

"We're proud of the police and fire department. They needed our support and they badly needed new facilities. It's a win-win; they can better serve us with new facilities."

Johnston Police Chief Bill Vaughn couldn't agree more.

Rough plans by Design Alliance of Waukee call for increasing the department's square footage from its cramped 5,200 square feet to about 42,000 square feet to be shared with the Johnston Fire Department in a new building on Merle Hay Road just north of NW 63rd Place. It is scheduled for completion in late 2013 or early 2014.

Better public safety facilities have been a long-time need for the city, Vaughn said, but a lack of public knowledge may have contributed to the wait.

"The community does a good job of giving us the tools to do the job in the field," he said. "When there's a community event we're there so the community can see the ambulances and patrol cars. At the end of the day the community walks away and sees the state of our equipment we have, but they don't see back at the station, that's a tool, as well."

The new facilities will provide:
• Adequate booking facilities
• Adequate facilities to process and store evidence.
• Confidential interrogation rooms
• Separate circulation corridors for victims and alleged suspects.
• Prisoner sally port
• Escape prevention features in detention area.
• Alarm and communication capability when dealing with an violent detainee
• Security features for the dispatch area
• Adequate/secure area for gun lockers
• Modern staff locker rooms and showers
• Modern fingerprint capture station for detainees and citizens

Over several months prior to the vote, Vaughn, Mayor Paula Dierenfeld, City Manager Jim Sanders and Fire Chief Jim Krohse met with community groups to address concerns and educate voters. 

"As a result of hard work, the residents turned out in record numbers and it passed," Dierenfeld said. "I"m really proud of this community and how it responded to that need."

Dierenfeld said the extraordinary growth of the city contributed to the need for new facilities.

The police department is housed in the back end of City Hall and was first a Hy-Vee supermarket.

"It was never built as a police station, but that's where they have operated for 25 years," the mayor said.

The overriding issue is safety, Vaughn said. Safety for the public, detainees and employees.

Without holding cells or detention areas, detainees are kept in an open area of the office. The same area is used for fingerprinting.

The police department's current space, which is part of City Hall, will be used to house the city's park department.