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Chief presses need to replace aging off-site evidence storage and plan for Justice Center upgrades
Summary
The Police Chief said the city's long-term evidence storage (built 1990) lacks climate control, running water and Internet, complicating compliance with evidence-retention obligations; he said a replacement is budgeted in 2027 and the 33-year-old Justice Center requires long-range planning tied to a citywide space study.
The Police Chief told the Finance Committee the city's off-site long-term evidence storage facility, built in 1990, is pole-barn construction without climate control, bathroom facilities or Internet connectivity — conditions he said make it unsuitable for continued evidence management given statutory retention obligations. "We are statutorily obligated to keep evidence for some of these cases. Some of the cases were required to keep it for 30 years. Some of the cases were required to keep it forever," he said, and noted the CIP includes funds in 2027 to replace the facility.
He also raised the Justice Center, now 33 years old, as a capital issue requiring long-term planning. The city commissioned a citywide space needs study to determine whether to renovate, expand, or relocate judicial, prosecutor and police functions. The chief said the results of that study will be instrumental in deciding next steps and timing for major capital work.
