Vienna Police Station Opening Nears, Ribbon Cutting Set

VIENNA, VA — The project to rebuild the Vienna Police Station into a larger facility is nearing completion, according to Vienna's police chief.

Police Chief Jim Morris discussed the police station project last week during the latest On Deck with Mercury discussion with Town Manager Mercury Payton. According to Morris, the ribbon cutting date is Sept. 2 at 11 a.m.

The ribbon cutting of the police station at 215 Center Street South will feature town officials, followed by tours. Tours will also be offered on Sept. 3 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

"The community can walk through and see what a $14 million police station looks like," said Morris.

Following public open houses, the police chief will coordinate the move with staff to make the police station fully functional.

Construction on the police station began in 2021. The new 29,000-square-foot facility will replace the former 11,000-square-foot police station, providing more space for equipment and personnel. While the police department has located its criminal investigation section in Town Hall since 2007, the new facility will accommodate adequate property and evidence storage, training, men's and women's locker rooms, and information and technology needs. The new facility will also have a firing range like the old station.

The police chief believes the new facility as well as technology such as new body cameras and new radios will help the police department with recruitment.

"The nuts and bolts of this building and the selling point is getting the police department under one roof," said Morris. "We had up until we come in here, our bike team equipments in the basement of the Bowman House. Our detectives are in the basement of Town Hall. We have property and storage in two storage lockers on Mill Street."

Aside from providing more space for the police department, the facility has a 1,500-square foot multipurpose space that can be used as a community room. Morris noted the old police station did not have room for community purposes, including a women's self-defense class hosted at Navy Federal Credit Union.

"We refer to it commonly as a community room, but in reality it's the community room, training room, emergency operations center, all those wrapped into one. I like the community aspect of it," said Morris. "We can bring programs in, we can bring the community in. It's just good flexible space for the town, not just the police department but the entire town."

Morris said the multipurpose room has the capability of being set up as an emergency operation center as support for a Fairfax County emergency center.

Another community space is a plaza with seating, plants and open space outside the police department.

During the project, the police department is temporarily relocated to the former Faith Baptist Church, 301 Center St. South. The town government will consider other uses for the former church after the police department moves into the new police station.

Morris thanked the community for their patience during the construction process while noting there have been resident calls on construction parking, debris and construction starting before 7 a.m.

Morris will send a letter to the community to notify residents about the police station opening and ribbon cutting. The police chief promised there will be no change in police response as the department transitions to the new facility.

A live video of the police station project is available on the project website.