Lone Tree breaks ground on new justice center as population in the Colorado city projected to double
Alex Britti
In the next decade the City of Lone Tree expects their population to double. It's why they're building a new police department and municipal court to accommodate that growth.
"This building's a long time coming, and certainly, I think, well earned by the police department," said Lone Tree Police Chief Kirk Wilson.
Wilson says right now the police department is housed in the city municipal building.
"We're outgrowing our building, so we're really busting at the seams as far as kind of run out of offices. We run out of cubicle space, parking lot's too small," said Wilson.
But now its future home is breaking ground, a 38,000-square-foot justice center in the fast-growing RidgeGate East area.
"1995 we formed a city. In 2005 we formed a police department. And in 2025 we're going to build a justice center they both deserve," said Lone Tree City Manager Seth Hoffman, speaking at the groundbreaking event.
"As you add new businesses and new apartments and new housing, then you want to be able to have an officer who can patrol those areas. So we really need to expand so we can have an officer in every area of the city all the time," said Wilson.
The justice center will feature a more efficient layout for the police department.
"It's going to have more state-of-the-art type equipment. It's going to be better equipped for the police department, more room, more space. Seems like we're always fighting for a conference room to have a meeting. Better holding cell area so it's more secure and safe for the officers as well as the prisoners," said Wilson. "Police departments just have a lot of demands on them. So you know, officers have to be social workers and mental health workers and, you know, not to mention, you know, responding to criminal calls."
The building will also house Lone Tree's municipal court.
"The courthouse is, currently in the in the city council chambers, and that's really not set up for that right? Not proper security, not proper waiting areas, not places, good places for attorneys to meet with their clients," said Wilson.
As the community grows, so will the size of the police force. Wilson says they've already increased from about 50 to 60 officers in the last decade.
"It's really kind of based on the growth. So we'll keep adding positions. And again, part of that's to expand our ability to patrol in this area, as well as keep our patrols going in the rest of the city," said Wilson.
Laying the foundation for Lone Tree's future, the justice center expects to be complete in October of 2026.
"It's just an exciting thing for the police department. I think for the officers, it's, you know, generating a sense of pride for them and their city and their police department. I think it's something the city deserves. The citizens deserve to have the best police department, the best police force that we can have, and we certainly want to always provide the same level of service we do today, which, in my opinion, is a platinum level of service for the citizens of Lone Tree," said Wilson.
Next month Lone Tree will also break ground on a new public works operations facility which will be housed near the justice center. Together the two projects will cost the city $50 million.
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