Farmington Just Approved a $20 Million Police Station Overhaul

TLDR

• Council voted 5-0 to approve a $1.188 million design contract with BKV Group for a police station expansion and remodel.

• The estimated total project cost is $20 million, with construction targeted for 2027.

• The current station was built in 2002 for 15 staff — today 32 people work there.

• A 2024 condition assessment rated the building in "poor" condition with $2M+ in deferred maintenance.

If you've ever wondered what happens when a building designed for 15 people has to fit 32 — with nearly 100 roof patches, a maxed-out locker room, and officers sharing desks — Monday night's Farmington City Council meeting gave you the answer: a unanimous vote to start fixing it.

What the Council Approved

Council voted 5-0 to approve an AIA agreement with BKV Group for the design phase of a major police station expansion and remodel. The design contract is $1.188 million plus $17,800 in reimbursable expenses — based on the estimated $20 million total project cost. If the final project cost comes in lower, the design fee drops too.

Construction is targeted for 2027. This is the design phase — meaning the architects will now start drawing up plans for what the expanded station will actually look like.

Why Now?

The short answer: they've been talking about this since at least 2022, and the problem keeps getting worse and more expensive.

The Farmington Police Department station was built in 2002 at approximately 15,000 square feet. It was designed for about 20 years of use with a staff of 15. Today, the department has 32 staff members — a chief, two captains, five patrol sergeants, 14 patrol officers, investigators, records staff, and CSOs.

Meanwhile, Farmington's population doubled from 12,000 in 2000 to 24,000 today, and it's projected to reach 30,000 in the coming decades.

A 2024 condition assessment by Krauss Anderson rated the building's facility conditioning index at 0.27 — where anything from 0.2 to 0.3 is considered "poor condition." They found $2 million-plus in deferred maintenance and estimated $5.6 million in replacement value for worn-out building components.

What's Actually Wrong With the Building?

The presentation laid it out with photos. Here's the highlight reel:

The roof has close to 100 patches. The department calls out contractors three to five times per season to patch holes in the roof membrane. Leaks are damaging ceiling tiles and threatening equipment inside.

Space is maxed out. Officers share cubicles and have to shuffle around as shifts change. The only conference room seats 12 — for a department of 32. Full staff meetings leave people standing in the hallway.

Key rooms have been repurposed. A soft interview room became a captain's office. An interview room became a Zoom court room during COVID — and now also houses an overflow fridge. The SWAT equipment had to move to a hallway when its dedicated room became evidence processing space.

The men's locker room has two lockers left. With another hire coming, they'll be at capacity.

The garage fits six patrol vehicles — but the department has 12 squads plus investigation SUVs, admin vehicles, trailers, and a CSO truck. Everything that doesn't fit is parked outside and taking weather damage.

What Could a New Station Include?

The department laid out a wish list of spaces they currently can't offer: crisis co-responder offices, a domestic violence advocate workspace (they had one before but lost the space), a crime analyst office, a wellness room for officers, a proper weapons armory, additional conference rooms, expanded training and briefing space, and 12,000–14,000 square feet of additional garage space.

Several of these aren't luxury items — they're standard offerings at neighboring police departments that Farmington currently can't match.

What Council Members Said

Council Member Cordis asked the tough question head-on: why should residents care about upgrading a police building? The answer from the department focused on three things — recruiting and retaining officers in a competitive market, adding positions like crisis co-responders and social workers that directly help residents, and creating a welcoming environment for people who show up to the station on their worst days.

Council Member Bance called it critical for retention and noted that creating a safe work environment matters for attracting both police and support staff.

Mayor Lien pointed out the council first discussed this about four years ago at a lower price tag. They punted, and costs went up significantly. His take: this is a need regardless of timing, and waiting only makes it more expensive.

What About the Fence?

If you've noticed the new security fence around the police station, it was funded through a federal community project grant — essentially federal money that would have gone to another city if Farmington hadn't applied. No local tax dollars. The fence was designed with this future expansion in mind, so it won't need to be torn down or rebuilt. It'll actually be connected to the expanded building once construction happens.

The Bottom Line

This project has been brewing for years. The vote Monday night was just the first step — approving the design phase. The big decisions about how to fund a $20 million construction project are still ahead. But the council clearly signaled that they see this as a need, not a want.

If you want to see the current station for yourself, the Farmington PD is hosting an open house on May 16 from 11 AM to 2 PM. Bring a donation for the Farmington Food Shelf.

FAQ

How is the $20 million project going to be funded?

That hasn't been decided yet. Monday's vote only approved the design phase. Funding decisions for the actual construction will come later as the project moves forward.

When will construction start?

The target is 2027. The design phase needs to happen first, which is what the BKV Group contract covers.

Will this increase my property taxes?

That's not yet determined. The funding mechanism hasn't been decided. The council will need to work through how to pay for the construction phase as plans develop.

What happened to the old soft interview room?

It became a captain's office when staffing outgrew the available space. The department currently lacks a dedicated space for comfortable victim or citizen interviews.

Is the perimeter fence part of this project?

The fence was a separate project funded by a federal grant. It was designed to work with the future expansion, so it won't need to be rebuilt. The expansion will actually connect the fence to the building.