A brand new, state-of-the-art Olathe Police Department headquarters opened in May and it’s exactly what the department and community needed – and it’s long overdue.
From advances in technology and equipment to the way the headquarters are laid out, the differences in the old and new building are profound, according to Olathe Police Sergent and Public Information Officer, John Moncayo.
“When it came to figuring out what we wanted (this building) to look like,” he said. “We wanted it to be a place where officers were excited to come to work, just as much as we wanted residents to feel good coming here.”
It all begins with a more distinct entrance to the building off of Harrison Street. In the old building, which was razed to make room for the new headquarters, it was hard to know where to enter, according to Moncayo.
The 40,000 sq. ft. building cost $24.8 million and opened its doors in May of this year.
An expansion of their old 1983 headquarters was done in 2010 and Turner Construction was deliberate in making certain that the 2010 expansion – which remained – matched what they were building.
“Lots of work was done to make sure there were seamless transitions from the 2010 building to the new one,” Moncayo said.
A walk through the new building shows just how needed an updated and advanced OPD headquarters truly was – from the technology side to just gold old-fashioned space.
When 2010 building was built, we were trying to keep up with growth,” Moncayo said. “From 2010, growth has exploded, both businesses and residents. With that we needed to increase our manpower, adjust our manpower the best we could to meet that growth.”
It begins the moment you walk into the new headquarters. The increase of three more interview rooms allows officers to connect with residents with more privacy and makes it much more efficient for the officers.
Another important aspect of what they have at their fingertips now is technology.
The technology, in general, is glaringly obvious. Body cameras can be uploaded wirelessly, officers can retrieve footage quicker, computers capabilities, police and their lighting is much more advanced.
While technology allows them to keep up across the board, it’s the upgrade to as many as six mental health officers and co-responders is paramount to making sure our community is best served.
Keeping officers and staff both physically and mentally sharp was at the top of the list, too.
”An upgraded gym facility gives more advanced equipment for the officers to use and more ability to do things whenever they can, while on duty,” Moncayo added. “We also have our own wellness team because we understand the importance of wellness whether it’s mental, physical, emotional, social or even financial.
“We increased the gym so officers can stay fit and be the best for the community when they are called on.”
The addition of training and matt space also offers the Olathe Police Department an area that was not available before. The new space offers in-house or outside agencies opportunities to train, as well.
The new squad room is three times the size of the previous room and fitted with screens all around the room for training videos, and the ability to show policies and procedures on the screens during briefings.
“We were intentional with the whole build,” Moncayo said. “The (Olathe Police) chief and our architect thought about the most efficient way to get what they need, and go out and serve the community.”
The new facility also offers a full-service kitchen and dining area – the hub – where officers and staff can congregate and relax. The staff hub is located just inside the main employee entrance that mirrors the front entrance to offer the same sort of feeling of comfort to staff as the main entrance does for residents.
”We can host gatherings here,” Moncayo said. “It’s a very comfortable setting, all the way to the chairs they sit in. We have all the comforts of home.”
One of the small, but very important additions to the new facility are the value statements that are posted throughout the new building. They’re large and sometimes small graphics on the walls to give officers the constant reminder of why they’re here and why they’re in this line of work.