04/23/2026
LPOA is aware the proposed new PD was the talk of the town Monday night at the city council meeting. LPOA heard several calls for renovating instead of rebuilding and we want to address that. Before we get into it…To clarify once again…LPOA has no influence on a location of a new PD, a time line to build it or how it will be funded. LPOA can state what our needs are with a new building but that is all. City council has the sole discretion over construction of a new PD.
LPOA has previously spoken at city council meetings explaining why we believe renovating the current building is not a reasonable solution. To modernize the current PD would be far beyond a renovation. It would be gutting the entire PD and rebuilding everything. Infrastructure items like HVAC, plumbing and electrical are all outdated as well.
(1) We cannot effectively do our jobs in a building that will be under construction for a lengthy period of time. Simply installing the glass at the front desk was a massive hinderance that took about a month if memory serves right. Simply repainting the jail took the jail completely out of service for a month or two and caused many issues. Those are just two examples of minor renovations that were troublesome. To correct the current building we are talking massive renovations, not minor ones.
(2) There is simply not enough room to renovate with the current layout. For example, to modernize the locker rooms would require at least 3 times the amount of space. The locker rooms would expand into our training room that we require. There’s simply no other place large enough in the building to relocate the training room too.
(3) As far as adding onto the current building: It’s already three structures (all with different foundations, electrical, plumbing, etc) pieced together. Is it really prudent to add another structure to this already LEGO style building? Two of the structures are 65 years old and one of the structures is 39 years old. Additionally the current building requires about $400,000 in repairs and maintenance annually. A new PD should be a multi decade investment. Is it really wise to commit tens of millions of dollars and many decades into an already aging and failing building requiring almost half a million dollars a year to keep it functioning at a bare minimum level? We cannot honestly expect officers to operate out of this building 40 years from now when it’s over 100 years old and policing is nothing like it was 100 years ago. It’s just not a good long term plan.
Some council members, including Councilman McCullough, have spoken in council meetings to the point that a renovation equal to a full rebuild would be similar in cost to a brand new build in a new location. Councilman McCullough has also stated the police cannot operate out of a building that is actively under construction. If you don’t believe LPOA then take his word for it.
LPOA can appreciate people who want to be fiscally responsible but renovating the current building is just the opposite. The city would be investing into an aging and failing building. A new structure will be required at some point to meet the needs of Livonia PD.
