Mesa Dedicates New Police Property Building

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~ Mesa, AZ - The City of Mesa has officially opened a new 33-thousand-square-foot facility dedicated to storing police evidence. The highly anticipated Police Property Building, located at 154 N. Robson, was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony next to the Mesa Police Headquarters.

Mayor John Giles expressed his gratitude for the completion of the new facility, stating that equipping police officers with necessary tools remains a top priority for the city. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards in evidence handling and storage as Mesa continues to grow. Mayor Giles credited the support of Mesa voters for the 2018 and 2022 public safety bonds, which made this project possible.

Funding for the new Police Property Building primarily came from the public safety bonds approved by voters in 2018 and 2022. Additional funds were also provided by the Public Safety Sales Fund Tax and the General Fund.

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Councilmember Mark Freeman, a retired Mesa fire captain paramedic, spoke about his understanding of the critical role that effective infrastructure plays in ensuring public safety. He praised the City Council's support for this project as a testament to their commitment to providing law enforcement with necessary resources to uphold justice and protect the community. Councilmember Jenn Duff echoed this sentiment, stating that this investment in the police department is crucial for enhancing public safety.

According to Police Chief Ken Cost, since 2008, over 800,000 items of evidence and property have been received by the Mesa Police Department, with an average yearly intake of approximately 55,622 items. Chief Cost emphasized that this state-of-the-art storage facility is dedicated to maintaining responsible and accountable control over all evidence and property. He also highlighted that in 2023 alone, their evidence section received over 56,000 items, underscoring the critical need for this modern and secure facility.

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Currently, there are approximately 390,000 items stored in general storage and almost 60,000 items in the freezer at the Mesa Police Department Evidence Section. The new building was designed to accommodate the existing items, as well as the city's population growth and potential changes in industry standards for evidence retention.

The new Police Property Building is expected to meet the needs of the Mesa Police Department for the next 20 years. This is crucial, as current record retention laws require evidence from homicides, sexual assaults, missing persons, officer-involved shootings, in-custody deaths, and terrorism to be held for at least 55 years.

The opening of this new facility marks a significant investment in the police department and a crucial step towards enhancing public safety in Mesa. Along with plans to rebuild police headquarters in downtown Mesa, city officials are committed to providing law enforcement with state-of-the-art facilities to effectively serve and protect the community.

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