Wilson Estes Police Architects is pleased to announce our selection for need assessment and site analysis services for the City of O’Fallon, Missouri, a growing suburb of St. Louis. The Police Department and Municipal Court have occupied a part of the municipal complex, that also includes City Hall, since 1999. The existing facility was a renovation of a building that was previously a school, which provides many challenges to law enforcement operations. Due to a period of explosive growth, the Police Department quickly outgrew their current location. From 1998 to 2003, the police department doubled in size in response to a rapidly growing population. Some other limitations of the current facility include inefficient locations of operations and evidence areas, which currently are located at the second floor area and security issues, such as the need to move detainees to court through public areas.
Wilson Estes Police Architects will prepare a comprehensive need assessment study that will determine both current and future space needs. The study will commence with interactive meetings with City and Police Department personnel to evaluate how they are currently operating and how they would operate if it not for the constraints of their current facility. Needs will be determined with consideration for unique characteristics O’Fallon but also informed by industry standards and emerging trends for these building types and what should be expected for efficient delivery of public services well into the future. With needs identified, Wilson Estes Police Architects will evaluate several sites to determine suitability to support the police department’s needs and generate cost estimates for the development of a modern and appropriate justice center for the O’Fallon Police Department and Municipal Court.