Steve King urges Livonia to favor policing technology over a $60 million headquarters

Steve King, a Coventry Gardens resident, told the Livonia City Council on March 23 that a planned $60,000,000 police headquarters would not by itself make the community safer and could cost more than $70,000,000 after financing. King said modern policing increasingly relies on technology and rapid situational awareness, not larger central facilities.

"A building does not respond to a 911 call," King said, adding that investments in "real-time response, eyes in the sky, faster situational awareness" would help officers act immediately rather than react later. He pointed to recent car thefts circulating on social media as examples of incidents where technology and deployment strategies could matter more than a new station.

King asked the council to weigh long-term financing costs and to consider alternatives such as first-responder drone programs and technology integration. He framed his remarks as pro-police: "This isn't about being anti police. It's the opposite. It's about giving our officers better tools, better information, and better protection."

Council members did not take a final vote at the study session; the chair said the item would be placed on the April 8 regular meeting consent agenda for formal consideration.

Why it matters: The size and financing of a capital project affect long-term debt, operating budgets and public-safety planning. King's remarks signal public scrutiny of how the city balances physical infrastructure versus technology and staffing investments.