Council awards contract for Volusia County Sheriff's administrative building; new facility to include backup 911 and real-time crime center

Volusia County Council voted to select and award a contract to Wharton Smith Inc. for the construction of a new Volusia County Sheriff's administrative building.

Janine Jennings, director of business services for the county, presented the procurement and the recommended award. The council approved the award by voice vote 6-0. Sheriff Chitwood and other sheriff's office leaders described operational benefits the new facility will bring, including backup 9-1-1 capability, expanded evidence and processing space, a countywide real-time crime center and consolidated technology and analytical operations used by multiple municipal police departments.

"We have to have a backup to our 9-1-1 system because it's a lifeline for the entire county," the sheriff told the council. He described the new building as a central location to house functions that previously were decentralized: "We do fingerprints for every police department ... every firearm in the county comes in. We just don't have the space to do that anymore." He said the building will provide 24-hour coverage and community meeting rooms in addition to the operational elements.

County manager and project staff told the council the design includes space for future growth and noted the selection follows a competitive procurement and cost design process.

Ending: With the contract award approved, staff and the sheriff's office will proceed with construction coordination and pre-construction planning; the council was invited to attend an upcoming ribbon-cutting on a related facilities milestone.