Ione police chief outlines multi-stage plan and funding for new station

Police Chief John Alfred presented a detailed plan April 17 for converting a building at 217 West Jackson Street into the city’s new police facility and described funding sources and procurement steps.

Alfred told the council federal and state criminal-justice policies (CJIS, CLETS) and POST guidance require physical and network security, hardened lobbies, evidence storage, controlled access and secure weapons and ammunition storage. "So for us to move in, the following things need to be addressed: physical security, we need to construct the property evidence room, armory, lobby, offices and building hardening," he said.

On finances, Alfred said the project will rely on restricted funds and impact fees rather than the general fund. He listed three key figures: $211,000 (restricted funds reallocated from ARPA), $368,000 (police-department impact fees) and $634,000 (overall PD operations budget, of which roughly $500,000 is earmarked for county services). He said the department plans to use the California Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act (Kupka) to keep several construction line items under informal bid thresholds and to collect at least three bids per item before returning to council for approval.

Alfred described a three-stage approach: (1) complete the core internal work needed to occupy the facility and meet state/federal standards; (2) build out an animal-control area (kennels and vet contract) to bring licensing revenue in-house; and (3) plan a future dispatch transition and related radio/911 infrastructure work. The projected timeline is multi-stage and Alfred did not give a final move-in date, saying bids and regulatory coordination remain ongoing.

Council members asked for timing and cost clarity; Alfred said he did not expect the originally targeted May 1 move-in date and that staff will return with bid results and packets for council approval.