Salem Police Station

Aerial image of construction on salem police station property.

Site of the future Salem police station

​In May of 2017, the residents of Salem passed a bond measure to finance the development of a public safety facility where the Salem Police Department can conduct business efficiently and safely. The site selected for the new facility is on the corner of Commercial and Division streets NE, formally the location of the O’Brien Auto Group. Site demolition ended in April and construction could start as early as fall 2018. Project completion is estimated by fall 2020.

​Project schedule

The project schedule will show the various phases of design and construction as this multi-year venture progresses. 

  • February 2018 - Site and building design phase initiated.
  • February 26, 2018 - Demolition and hazmat abatement started.
  • April 30, 2018 - Demolition and hazmat abatement complete.
  • May-August 2018 - Preparations for site construction which begins fall 2018.
  • September 2018 - Archeological excavation as part of the groundwork before site construction began. Archeology Day, September 10.
  • November 2018 - The public is invited to the official groundbreaking ceremony on November 9.
  • January 15-27, 2019 - Archaeological artifacts discovered at the project site on display at the Salem Public Library.
  • January 2019 - Construction phase begins and will continue through September 2020.
  • April 2019 - Site and building design phases complete

​Opportunities to provide input

Design 

More that 1,400 responses were received for the police station design survey. Respondents' ideas and comments contributed to the design concepts presented at the March 21, 2018 town hall meeting. The results of the survey are available for review.

In May and June 2018, project team members visited ten Salem neighborhood associations and gathered additional citizen input on the site design and surrounding campus.

On July 25, 2018, the project design team hosted another town hall to reveal the final floor plans and campus layout. Residents provided additional input about the community space and public art for the project.

Public art project

As a publicly-funded project, the new Salem Police Station will have an art piece on the campus. The concept by artist Blessing Hancock was chosen to join the more than 150 public artworks throughout the city. Community engagement is an essential component of the piece titled Equitas, and here’s how you can help. The surface pattern of the lighted sculpture will incorporate text from the Salem community relating to the themes of honor, protection, and service.

Please take a moment to provide your input. The deadline to submit your words or phrases is August 1, 2019. 

Additional questions 

Residents with additional questions can send them by email to the project team at [email protected].

Keeping up with the project

Project information will be posted online and shared using social media to keep the community in the loop and involved. Starting in February 2018, the Salem Police Department will host a monthly video update posted to the City of Salem website and Salem Police’s Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube accounts. The hashtag #BuildingBuzz  will post periodically to share facts and tidbits with residents about their new police station.

Subscribe to the project’s email distribution list to begin receiving updates February 2018.

Project cam

See what’s happening at the site right now with our live project camera. You can watch as the site is prepared and the building goes up. Images are updated every five minutes. Refresh this page to see the most current view of the project site.

High angle photo of the facility site.

Future home of the Salem Police Department. Image is updated every five minutes.

Work on the site is done in zones from west (image left) to east (right). The first and second floor decks are complete with concrete work continuing for the third floor deck.

​#BuildingBuzz videos

To access the entire list of episodes, select the playlist icon in the upper left corner of the video window.


​Background

In 1972, 108 officers moved into their new offices on the first floor of Salem City Hall. Today, 45 years later, the space is inadequate for 190 officers and 53 civilian staff. The new facility will meet current seismic standards required of a new police station to remain operable during natural disasters. The new building will also allow the department to function more efficiently by bringing together many important police functions that are currently located off-site in separate and leased buildings.

CB | Two Architects, a local firm, was selected as the lead architect consultant team on this project. They have partnered with DLR Group, police design specialists, who have completed over 80 justice facilities across the country.

The Salem City Council formed a council sub-committee to meet monthly with the core team to receive updates and provide input and guidance.

Deputy Chief Steve Bellshaw, the police department’s point person on the project, said, “We are grateful to the Salem residents for their support. It is a large project, yet we are committed to meet the requirements of our timetable and to build a building the community will be proud of.”

​For more information about the Salem Police Department and its public safety services, visit our web page or follow Salem Police on the standard social media channels.