The breakdown
The total cost of the furniture, which includes manufacturing, shipping, installation and warranty, were already factored into the headquarters’ $31.32 million budget, Police Chief John Cullison said.
“Yes, the cost seems very high at face value, but ... we’re providing [furniture for] training rooms, as well as a community room and then all the lobby furniture as well,” Mayor Ryan Tubbs said.
The purchase will set the city’s police department up for success in the future, Tubbs said.
“These aren’t just going to the individual officers that we have today,” he said. “It’s about now, and it’s about in the future—as the city doubles in population, so will our law enforcement staff.”
Some of the furniture is for specific uses, such as for the department’s soft meeting rooms, which are designed to be comfortable and calming for children, families, witnesses or victims of a crime, Cullison said.
The furniture itself is expected to last for at least 20 years, according to a meeting presentation.
Keep in mind
Construction broke ground on the police headquarters in September and is on track to finish by late May, according to a meeting presentation.
“It is currently pretty much on time,” Cullison said. “It's under budget, and it’s progressing as well as we hoped.”
