On this episode of the Officer Roll Call Podcast, OFFICER Magazine Editor Paul Peluso and Officer Media Group Editorial Director Frank Borelli discuss the 2023 Station Design Conference. Slated to place May 23-25 at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark in St. Louis, Missouri, the conference will feature some of the leading architectural firms specializing in the planning and construction of law enforcement and public safety facilities.
“When we first started doing this, I was the naysayer of the group,” says Borelli. “I thought, ‘This is something we’re going to do and it’s not really going to float. Police departments and sheriff’s offices don’t update or build facilities as often as firehouses,' and I didn’t really see the value in it. I’m glad I’ve been proven wrong. We’ve seen a lot of lessons shared. The value of the Station Design Conference for anybody who is planning a remodel, a redesign, an upgrade, a new addition or a new station, there is a huge benefit here, simply because we often don’t know what we don’t know. We are not aware of the level of our ignorance, as mine was at the beginning of this. But, the number of architecture firms that we’ve dealt with and the number of designs that we’ve now seen in law enforcement, public safety, training and administrative, along with how concerns are being addressed today—this is a phenomenal event to attend.”
Peluso agreed with Borelli and says that he was also surprised at how the designs of new facilities constructed throughout the country differ. “It is interesting to see how these different stations look. Even from the outside. A station in Florida looks completely different than a station that is being built in Maryland or even Arizona or Chicago," he says. "They all have their own look and design to them depending on the weather and the area they are located in. The design elements are always interesting to see.”
On May 22, the first day before the main conference, the 1-on-One sessions are held. “The 1-on-One sessions really offer an opportunity to meet with these architects there on hand to get an inside view into what you have to do to develop your new station and develop your plan," says Peluso. "You can bring the plan and layouts with you including your existing site plan, drawings, proposed drawings, site photos, feasibility studies, your tax map. You can bring all of this and they’ll be able to hold your hand through what you need to do in the beginning of the process and give you tips so that when you really get started, you’ll be in a better place.”
The Law Enforcement Track of the Station Design Conference includes multiple sessions each day that touch on different areas of facility planning and design. Many of the sessions touch on trends such as the need for more training opportunities for officers, along with the importance of physical health and mental wellness.
“There was a time where no station ever had a gym in it. Almost every one of them has had some type of break room or lunch room," says Borelli. "When you look at the design features, having a gymnasium in there. Fitness is a big part of law enforcement, both for officer survival, risk mitigation and stress management. Having a work out facility in the redesign is awesome and is not something you used to see a lot except in really big agencies.”
Borelli says that he has been impressed with the training features in newly constructed law enforcement facilities. “When you start looking at training facilities inside of station, sometimes, beyond just a classroom, some of these stations have entire ranges inside of them, defensive tactics rooms that are already padded on the floor and the walls," he says. "You have rooms where you can do situational scenario training with padded furniture and different layouts you can arrange. The design features are really interesting and are of great value.”
On the last day of the conference, attendees will be able to participate in a tour of a local facility. About 30 minutes from the conference is the City of Edwardsville, Illinois Public Safety Headquarters. The facility, which was completed in 2017, houses both the city’s police and fire departments. “If you are leaning toward a combined facility, you can really get a good sense of what to expect,” says Peluso.
