Politics & Government
New 911 Building in Plymouth Moves Forward
A construction company was given the go ahead to build the new facility in Plymouth. The facility is currently based in Golden Valley.
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office took a major step forward in its plans to build a new 911 Emergency Communications Facility. The Hennepin County Board approved a $21.6-million contract award to Stahl Construction to build the new facility.
The new facility will be located in Plymouth near the county’s Adult Corrections Facility. Groundbreaking is expected next year.
“This project is essential to public safety,” said Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek, “We must have a facility that ensures uninterrupted service for 911 calls, radio dispatch, and technical services.”
Currently, the Sheriff’s Office provides 911 and emergency communications services to 36 communities throughout the county. The facility is located in Golden Valley and it is one of the largest consolidated public safety answering points in the Upper Midwest. Because it was constructed in 1948, it lacks space to accommodate emerging communications technologies and the facility cannot adequately protect the investment in equipment that is housed there.
The total projected budget is $33.7 million. The new facility will significantly increase communications system reliability, improve operational efficiencies and optimize operating expenses by collocating three principal functions – the 911 Public Safety Answering Point, Critical Infrastructure Radio and Data Network Center, and Radio Systems Operations and Technical Services.
The new 59,200-square-foot facility will accommodate all of the Sheriff’s communication responsibilities, as well as facilities to support 911, providing 21 dispatch consoles, with a maximum capacity for 30 consoles. The facility will include a 9,500-square-foot radio installation and electronic mobile equipment storage garage. The site will maximize the use of an existing communication tower on the site.
Also, during their Dec. 11 meeting, the board authorized public safety dispatch services for the City of Golden Valley beginning when the new facility opens.
The Sheriff’s Office currently provides public safety dispatch services for 23 law enforcement agencies and 19 fire departments at no cost. The services are funded by countywide property taxes. Golden Valley is the only city in Hennepin without its own public safety answering point that is not dispatched by the Sheriff’s Office.
The information above was provided by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.
