When the new police station opens in Los Banos next year, according to Police Chief Gary Brizzee, it will enable the police department to be more efficient and better serve the residents of Los Banos.
The city broke ground for the new, larger facility May 19, with construction expected to begin later this month and completed in fall 2023 and the building occupied by the police department in November.
The new facility will be built on G Street, not far from Mercey Springs Road and a few blocks south of Pacheco Boulevard. It will be relatively close to Merced County’s Robert M. Falasco Justice Center and courthouse.
“I grew up in our current facility (on the corner of 5th and J Streets),” Brizzee said, “so I am very comfortable working in this environment. But it is old, outdated and not terribly efficient for the day-to-day operations of a police department.
“I look forward,” he added, “to walking into a facility that is purposely built for us, with adequate space and efficient work areas, where all of our staff can work under one roof.”
The new 28,000 square-foot facility, along with a 3,000 square-foot auxiliary building nearby, will have 8,000 more square feet than the current building on 5th Street.
Brizzee said that every division within the department will see an improvement in their work space. “Everything in this project is such an improvement,” he said. “I look forward to everyone being happy to come to work in a facility that they can be proud to call home.”
The new facility, Brizzee believes, will enable the department to continue to serve Los Banos effectively. “The LBPD prides itself on our service to our community, and I expect our efficiency to get even better so we can continue to provide a great level of service.”
A state-of-the-art facility should also enable the City of Los Banos to recruit police officers, Brizzee added. “The demand for police officers has increased so much in the past decade,” he said. “I hope that the new facility will be just one of many highlights that put LBPD on the map as one of the premier agencies in the valley to work for. I hope it helps us continue to draw great employees.”
Once the new station is occupied, what happens to the existing building on 5th and J Streets and the police annex across the street remains to be seen.
“As the city grows, all of our city departments are growing,” Brizzee said. “The buildings we move out of may provide for opportunities to potentially accommodate growth at City Hall.
“Our move,” he added, “may provide for a number of ideas to flourish downtown, all of which are very exciting to me.”
Brizzee made it a point to thank the voters of Los Banos. “I can never say thank you enough to our community for all the support given to us,” he said. “The new facility would not be possible without the support of our residents, especially through the 2004 passage of Measure P.”
