Public Safety Building Project

Summary

The City of Puyallup is issuing a bond measure to fund a new Public Safety Building. The measure will appear on the November 7, 2023 ballot. The new building would be a modern facility and house the Police and Jail all under one roof. The new building would be located at 600 39th Ave SE next to Central Pierce Fire & Rescue Station 72, and unlike current facilities, there would be space for all police officers. Additionally, the new jail would have adequate room to separate inmates and space for rehabilitative services such as mental and medical health. In addition to the new facility, the project would include a police substation located in downtown Puyallup. The substation would be located inside City Hall on the first floor, allowing residents of downtown access to police services.

The following webpage contains information about the new Public Safety Building and updates on a bond measure to fund the project.

Project Updates

2017 – The City hires Mackenzie Consulting to perform a feasibility study on the new Public Safety Building.

July 19, 2019 – City Council presentation on Mackenzie report and findings.

2020 – The project was put on pause due to the pandemic and concerns over cost estimates.

March 25 – 30, 2021 – Elway Research Inc. conducts research in the community about a new Public Safety Building.

June 15, 2021 – City Council approves first reading of an ordinance authorizing ballot measure in the amount of $82 million.

July 13, 2021 – City Council approves second reading of an ordinance authorizing ballot measure.

November 2, 2021 - The November election results determined that the ballot measure did not meet the 60 percent required voter criteria to pass. The measure received 59 percent.

November 23, 2021 - City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance authorizing a new ballot measure to be placed on the February 2022 ballot for $81 million.

December 7, 2021 - City Council approved the second reading of an ordinance authorizing the ballot measure to be placed on the February 2022 ballot.

February 2022 - The February election results determined that the ballot measure did not meet the 60 percent approval required voter criteria to pass. The measure received 56 percent. City staff and Council decided to go back to the drawing board and re-examine the project.

March 2023 - City Council, staff, and the consultant took a deep dive into the project and decreased the total project cost by $9 million, or roughly 10 percent. This included decreasing the number of jail beds and the total square footage of the building by over 8,000 square feet and reducing the number of jail beds from 82 to 58.

May 2023 - City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance to place a bond measure on the November ballot that would fund a new building and downtown substation for $56 million. The total estimated cost would be $76 million and, if approved, would be paid with the voter bonds plus non-voted councilmanic bonds of $20 million. The councilmanic bonds would be paid using existing City funds.

June 2023 - City Council approved the second reading of the bond measure ordinance for $56 million. This will appear on the November 2023 ballot.


Disclaimer

This information is being published for educational purposes only. It is intended to educate residents about the project and to help them make an informed decision. This webpage is not an endorsement by the City of Puyallup and Puyallup Police Department.