Building for tomorrow, growing Colorado city unveils Justice Center
The city of Lone Tree unveiled its new and improved Justice Center on Tuesday.
It comes as the city is seeing major growth on the east side of I-25 in the RidgeGate area, including new communities, a new elementary school, High Note Regional Park, a new public works facility and plans for a new city center.
"This is such a huge milestone for the city of Lone Tree today. We have been planning for this growth and the opening of this justice center for over 20 years," said Lone Tree Mayor Marissa Harmon.
The Lone Tree Police Department was created just 21 years ago. Since then, the size of the force has nearly tripled.
"We have always been planning to grow. Right now, we have about 15,000 residents. In time, we will just about double in size, and we are building the justice center today for the city that we know we will be tomorrow," Harmon said.
Up until now, the department operated out of a shared 13,000-square-foot city building.
"It was truly just an office space turned into a police department," Harmon said.
"We were completely (with) no more lockers left, no more cubicles left, no more space, and so this allows us to be able to grow a little bit more," said Lone Tree Police Chief Kirk Wilson.
But now they'll have a more than 37,000-square-foot Justice Center to call home.
The new Justice Center features an expanded municipal court, new interview rooms, a temporary evidence storage and processing area and a fitness center.
"It's the best gym I've ever seen in a police department. I know that," Wilson said. "If nothing else (it) says 'you're valued.' It's investing in them to have a place like that where they can go work out, and stay fit and be ready for their job."
"Our commitment to the physical and mental health of our police officers remains a priority, so that we're making sure that they are ready and prepared, but they are also going to be able to go home to the family that is waiting for them," Harmon said.
The police force will keep a substation in the old building and one in Park Meadows Mall.
The new $36 million facility was funded by certificates of participation. It's built on land donated to the city by Coventry Development as part of the RidgeGate development.
"It's going to help recruit and retain people when you have a great place to work, where you feel valued, where you have a good culture, which is something we strive to have," Wilson said. "Everybody wants to have a great place to work and come into work and feel safe and feel wanted. And I think this building does that."
"As we grow, we know that our needs are growing, that crime is changing, and things are evolving. And so, making sure that we have a hardened facility that supports the men and women that are working for our police department and municipal court is really important," Harmon said.
