Recommendation: That the Edmonton Police Commission prepare for Council's consideration a capital profile and business case for the construction of a new Edmonton Police Service administration building during the 2019-2022 Capital Budget Process. Report Summary This report provides information and options concerning the future long term accommodation needs for personnel of the Edmonton Police Service. Report Space issues at the Edmonton Police Service Headquarters building have reached critical proportions. Changes to technology and increases to staff and staff functions have resulted in a significant shortage of available space. Many office areas within Police Headquarters are over-crowded by two to three times the number of staff than space standards recommend. For example, there is an area within the Informatics Division in which there are 19 people in an office area designed for nine. There is no vacant space available within Police Headquarters, limiting options for further renovation. Several specialized units now occupy leased space across the city, resulting in logistical challenges and additional lease charges. Units that have close working relationships are often in distant geographic locations. Combining these units into one location allows for more effective sharing of information during joint investigation of files. Because so much has been invested in the infrastructure at the Police Headquarters building, the medium-term vision is to concentrate the specialized policing units at Police Headquarters and move administrative employees out of the building and into commonly available office space. The long term vision sees these same Edmonton Police Service administrative employees housed in a separate Edmonton Police Service administration building. The existing police headquarters building would evolve into a strictly operational facility housing Downtown Division, and many specialized units. The replacement or expansion of Police Headquarters has been included in capital plans since 1995. During the 2015-2018 capital budget development, project 17-60-1376 Police Administration Building was deferred. This proposed capital project would envision a building to house up to 800 administrative personnel and other specialty investigative units which would accommodate future growth needs for the next 15 to 20 years. This figure would include the 200 400 of the current 650 administrative staff which currently need to be relocated into other leased facilities.
ROUTING Community Services Committee | DELEGATION - S. Sandhu/R. Knecht
June 29, 2015 Edmonton Police Commission CR_2613 Page 1 of 2
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Edmonton Police Service - Future Administration Accommodation Requirements
This building was originally anticipated to be built on lands adjacent and contiguous to the approved North West Campus. However, as other facility plans evolve, the use of this site as originally envisioned may not be possible. The Edmonton Police Service is expecting to develop an Indoor Gun Range that will meet the needs of Edmonton Police Services' law enforcement partners in Northern Alberta on a cost recovery basis. As this facility will be larger than originally planned, utilization of the site for some of the other facilities required in the short to medium term must be re-visited. After the deferral of the Police Administration Building, the Edmonton Police Service explored, with the civic administration, opportunities to move into the Edmonton Civic Office Tower. However, the conclusion of this discussion was that this was not a viable option, mostly due to capacity issues at the new Tower. Facing up to a ten year wait to alleviate the existing space shortage, the Edmonton Police Service will utilize lease space in the short term to meet these immediate needs. A service package to pay for the additional space will be submitted in the 2016 operating budget cycle. In order to alleviate the immediate space shortage, and to allow for efficient short and long term capital planning, the Edmonton Police Service is proposing that leased space be secured outside the downtown core for a period of at least ten years. Such a location will be cheaper than a downtown facility, will have better employee and police vehicle parking, and (because it is traditional office space) should be readily available. Corporate Outcomes This report contributes to the conditions of success as noted in The Way Ahead. Specifically, it contributes to the provision of appropriate working conditions and facilities through enabling infrastructure and thereby increases organizational capacity. Budget/Financial Implications The Edmonton Police Service will be bringing forward a service package for consideration during the 2016-2018 budget process to secure funds for the interim leasing option.