Update on the New City of Signal Hill Police Station
Police Chief Tom Sonoff and Deputy City Manager Charlie Honeycutt continue to work with the Police Station Project Management Team to complete the construction plans for the City’s new 21,500 square-foot police station. The construction drawings are expected to be completed early next year. The new building will replace the existing 12,000 square-foot 1970s-era police station that was designed for a smaller police department staff and serve a community of approximately 5,600 residents.
The City of Signal Hill has experienced tremendous growth since the 1970s. The City now has a population of more than 11,200 residents, and several commercial establishments including the Auto Center, two Home Depots, Costco, Office Depot, Target, Circuit City and Best Buy. Additionally, the City has added six new parks since 2000. This growth has been very positive for the community, but it has also placed greater demands on the Police Department. In response, the City Council implemented the findings of a Blue Ribbon Committee of residents, community leaders, and local businesspersons that worked with the Police Department to study the needs of the Department. The Committee identified the need to replace the undersized and outdated police station and the need to add six additional patrol officers to the police force. I am pleased to say that the City Council has demonstrated its continued commitment to public safety by approving funding for the new police station and the additional police officers.
The new police station will be located at the southwest corner of Walnut Avenue and 27th Street on a site formerly known as “The Green.” It will include a state-of-the-art Emergency Operations Center and communications systems that will improve the City’s ability to assist the community after a natural disaster or other emergency. The City Council has also directed the project management team to keep the environment in mind in the design of the new building. For that reason, the City will be pursuing a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification to certify that the building is environmentally responsible and a healthy place to work. “Green” design elements that will be incorporated into the police station include the efficient use of natural lighting, use of tankless water heaters, and drought-tolerant landscaping. The City Council furthered its dedication to environmental sustainability by recently approving additional funding for the installation of solar power on the new Police Station building.
The City Council and I appreciate the community’s support of our fine Police Department, and we are committed to providing our officers with the resources they need to deliver a high level of service to Signal Hill residents and businesses.
