Sarasota Police headquarters opens its doors

Construction has been completed on the Sarasota Police Department's $46-million headquarters.

Police department employees are scheduled to start moving into their updated, larger home in downtown Sarasota in September.

The current police station, at 2071 Ringling Blvd., is 60,000 square feet. The new facility is 201,000 square feet, nearly half of which is dedicated to a six-floor parking garage.

“There is more room to do our jobs, instead of being sandwiched in,” says Sgt. Scott Mayforth, who has overseen the construction of the building and integration of the police department.

The complex features seven conference rooms, a community meeting room and a training room with updated gym facilities.

The current building was pieced together in stages beginning in 1959. There was no designed layout. What was originally a second-floor jail was converted into office space through the addition of two floors.

One of the main goals of the new building is to locate related divisions together. In the current building, two divisions that work together could be on different floors.

The move will take place in five stages, with the property department moving in last.

After everything is cleared out, crews will clear the old building of asbestos before it is demolished. Mayforth doesn't believe that will happen until February or March.

— by Robin Roy, correspondent