The City of Shawnee has taken the first steps in exploring a potential $17 million expansion and renovation project for the Shawnee Justice Center. On May 26, the city made its first move for the planned $17 million expansion project, as the city council approved the delivery method, or a contractual framework for how the project will be designed, financed and built.
Background
The expansion comes as the Shawnee Police Department looks to modernize its facility, which was first opened in 2008. According to Deputy Police Chief Jason Brunner, the Justice Center was designed for a smaller department and for policing as it existed at that time. In 2026, policing operations, staffing, technology, and training needs are very different.
The proposed project comes as a response to the changing size and demographics of the Shawnee Police Department, Brunner said. Since 2008, the department has seen an increase in the number of female police officers, and the equipment officers are required to carry today is different than it was in 2008.
The project will include a 10,000-square-foot expansion and an almost 10,000-square-foot renovation. As our workforce has evolved, so have the facility needs of the department, Brunner said. Plans for the expansion include addressing the police department’s female employee base.
While the department doesn’t have staffing records dating back to the facility’s opening in 2008, it has hired 29 female officers from 2013 to 2026. It currently employs 4 female sworn officers and 18 women in professional staff positions, Brunner said. The current locker room space was not designed for the department’s current staffing makeup or modern equipment needs, which is driving the need for expanded employee support areas.
Next Steps
The project is still early in its process, Brunner said. On May 26, the city requested qualification statements from interested Progressive Design-Build Teams looking to design and construct the expansion project. From there, interviews, design collaboration, and contract negotiations will take place before final approval by City Council.
Original reporting: Johnson County Post (Overland Park) — read the source article.
