Reinvesting into the future of the Maricopa Police Department

Published on February 09, 2023

A land purchase made years ago is paying dividends for the City of Maricopa, as construction gets underway on the city’s newest building - a larger, more advanced headquarters for the Maricopa Police Department.

Elected officials along with the Chief of Police and several officers, ceremoniously turned the dirt at the site of the new station Wednesday. A symbolic gesture as the City turns to embrace the future growth on the horizon.

“Our new police department facility will be integral in serving the public safety and law enforcement needs of the growing Maricopa community,” says Maricopa’s Chief of Police Mark Goodman. “The building of a new police facility shows the city and community’s commitment to keeping Maricopa one of the safest places to live, work, and play in the State of Arizona.”

At approximately 32,000 square feet, the building will provide Maricopa officers and emergency dispatchers with the space they need to expand and continue their excellent service to the community for decades to come. It is estimated the new building will meet the needs of Maricopa residents until the city reaches a population of between 150,000-200,000 people.

Sargent Hal Koozer has been with the Maricopa Police Department since it was first founded in 2007. He says the changes the department faced throughout its history made it stronger and better able to care for the community.

“The growth and development of the Maricopa Police Department over the past 16 years has been nothing short of a miracle,” Koozer says. “From the days of Chief Melvin and working out of trailers to our current position of having our third dedicated Police Department Buildings is outstanding. We are thrilled to open this new chapter with Chief Goodman at the helm. We are grateful for City leadership who shared our growth vision and dedication to keeping our citizens safe.”

Under the direction of City Manager Rick Horst and the pressure of a growing population, the city purchased plots of land for future city use. Over the years, the value of the land increased giving the city a portfolio of investments to fund projects that would otherwise require new taxes or bond measures to be passed.

For the new 25 million dollar police headquarters, the city saw an opportunity to sell a higher-valued piece of land, supplement expenses with the city’s general fund and police impact fees, and in turn pay outright for the land and construction of the new facility.

“It's going to be a great new addition to our city and I think we are all going to be proud of this new facility,” Maricopa Mayor Nancy Smith says. “This was a rendering and we’re now moving it into a reality.”

Maricopa’s police force is already seeing promising growth. Over the past 18 months, 13 new officers have joined MPD. The department’s current facilities house 70 uniformed police officers and 13 dispatchers who rotate between three call stations. The new facility will have the capacity to accommodate more than 100 officers and will include 20 call stations for dispatchers. The original plans are still intact to include future expansion capabilities to host other jurisdictions as partners in emergency communications.

“This police station is deserved, needed and I can’t wait to be a part of it,” Vice Mayor Rich Vitiello says. “I am proud of the men and women who serve Maricopa and have made it one of the safest communities in the state of Arizona.”

The location near City Center also allows police officers to be centrally located as Maricopa continues to expand its footprint away from John Wayne Parkway.

“I would like to thank our community members, Mayor Smith, Vice Mayor Vitiello, and all the members of the City Council for supporting this project. I would also like to thank City Manager Rick Horst, the city’s executive leadership team, and members of the police department who have also been integral in moving this project forward,” Chief Goodman says.