Police Facilities

A referendum question regarding the Police Department Headquarters will be on the May 13, 2025 special election ballot. Learn more about the question and what it means below.

General Obligation Bonds to Finance a New Police Department Headquarters Facility

To finance a new Police Department headquarters facility, shall the City of North Port be authorized to issue bonds in one or more series in a total aggregate principal amount not to exceed $115,000,000, maturing no later than 30 years from issuance, bearing interest at no more than the maximum lawful rate and payable from ad valorem property taxes levied in amounts sufficient to pay debt service on such bonds?

View the City Commission ordinance

What it means

The current Police Department headquarters on City Hall Boulevard was built in 2006. At the time, NPPD had a staff of 109 serving a City population of approximately 47,000. Today, the Police Department has 206 positions serving a population of more than 90,000. The department has outgrown its current headquarters in all capacities. North Port’s rapid residential and commercial growth is expected to continue. The city’s land area of 104 square miles is only about 30 percent built out, and steady population is anticipated to continue in the coming decades, eventually reaching 250,000 residents.

The proposed new headquarters, which would be located on City-owned land on North Toledo Blade Boulevard, was recommended by a professional firm that analyzed current and future staffing needs, growth projections and industry standards for the number of officers and staff needed to safely protect a community. The recommended building accounts for the future growth of the city and police force through 2065. Watch the presentation(PDF, 11MB) from the consultant and staff to the City Commission on Feb. 26, 2024.

If the bonds are approved by voters, the average North Port homeowner with an assessed property value of $246,400 would see an initial property tax increase of approximately $121.38 - about $10 a month or 33 cents a day. The cost may go down over time as it is spread out among residents and new businesses moving to North Port.

Financing options

City staff and our independent financial consultant have done a cost comparison of different financing models:

General Obligation (GO) Bonds: The City can self-finance the project using GO Bonds, leveraging its strong “AA” rating to secure lower interest rates.
Public-Private Partnership (P3): A private sector funding option incorporating lease payments over a 30-year term.
Certificate of Participation (COP): A tax-exempt lease-financing mechanism in which investors purchase fractional ownership in lease payments rather than a bond.

GO Bond financing (as proposed with this referendum) offers an estimated effective interest rate of 4.00% - 4.50%, whereas private financing would be higher at 6.00% - 6.50% due to required equity returns and asset management fees. The estimated annual savings with GO Bond financing is between $1.3 million - $1.8 million over 30 years.

A P3 lease structure would result in approximately $1.8 million in additional annual payments, with total costs exceeding $50 million more over the 30-year period.

COPs carry higher interest rates than a standard GO bond issuance due to the added risk, and the spread varies based on the market’s view of governance risk, the type of project and the measure of its essential purpose. It is reasonable to expect the effective interest rate to fall between the cost of a GO deal and a P3 financing, but several factors will determine how the market prices the additional risks.

Learn more about these financing options:

Financing-Alternatives-Memo-Final.pdf(PDF, 192KB)

PFM-North-Port-Police-HQ-Cost-Comparison.pptx(PPTX, 487KB)

Why it matters

Police officers driving in marked patrol vehicles are the forefront of providing for a safe community. But they can’t do their job alone. There are numerous support staff members behind the scenes that help assist our officers in their day-to-day patrol and calls for service. These personnel include telecommunications operators, records staff, detectives, crime analysts, Traffic Unit, Special Enforcement Team, Community Policing Team, public information, background investigations/recruiter, Training Unit, IT staff, crime scene technicians, property evidence staff, command staff, administration support staff and executive staff. All these positions and units require a significant amount of space, and as the City grows, so do the calls for service, which in turn increases the need for more patrol officers and support staff.

Building police substations around the city, as opposed to a centralized headquarters, is not the most efficient model, due to lack of streamlining services and more administrative overhead. There are also no other existing sites located in North Port that make financial sense to retrofit, due to Florida Building Code standards that require police headquarters be hardened to withstand natural disasters. It would cost more to add onto the current building and bring it up to today’s building codes than to construct a new building.

Key Facts

The North Port Police Department Headquarters on City Hall Boulevard was built in 2006. At the time, NPPD had a staff of 109 (79 sworn officers, 30 civilian) serving a City population of approximately 47,000. The building is 32,000 square feet.
Today, the Police Department has 206 positions serving a population of nearly 90,000.
The department has outgrown its current headquarters in all capacities.
In 2023, NPPD responded to 89,892 calls for service - a 14.58% increase from the year prior.
North Port’s rapid residential and commercial growth is expected to continue. North Port’s land area of 104 square miles is only about 30 percent built out, and steady population is anticipated to continue through 2070, eventually reaching 250,000 residents.
Two separate professional firms have provided an analysis of the current and future PD facility and staffing needs, based on growth projections and industry standards for the number of officers and staff needed to safely protect a community.
The $122 million, 108,000-square-foot option with 30,000 square feet of shell space recommended by the consultant accounts for future growth of the city and police force through 2065.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the current North Port Police Station facility built?

The North Port Police Department Headquarters on City Hall Boulevard was built in 2006. At the time, NPPD had a staff of 109 (79 sworn officers, 30 civilian) serving a City population of approximately 47,000. The building is 32,000 square feet.

How big is the North Port Police Department staff today?

Today, the Police Department has 206 positions serving a population of roughly 90,000.

How busy is the North Port Police Department?

In 2023, NPPD responded to 89,892 calls for service - a 14.58% increase from the year prior.

How big is the City of North Port expected to grow?

North Port’s rapid residential and commercial growth is expected to continue. North Port’s land area of 104 square miles is only about 30 percent built out, and a steady population increase is anticipated to continue through 2070, eventually reaching 250,000 residents.

How do we know we need a bigger headquarters?

Two separate professional firms have provided an analysis of the current and future PD facility and staffing needs, based on growth projections and industry standards for the number of officers and staff needed to safely protect a community. Those firms now identify the current facility as upwards of 150% above capacity.

Why do you need so much space? Shouldn’t officers be out on the streets? Can't they work in their vehicles?

Police officers driving in marked patrol vehicles are the forefront of providing for a safe community. But they can’t do their job alone. There are several support staff members behind the scenes that help assist our officers in their day-to-day patrol and calls for service. These personnel are your telecommunications operators, records staff, detectives, crime analysts, Traffic Unit, Special Enforcement Team, Community Policing Team, Public Information, Background Investigations/ Recruiter, Training Unit, IT staff, Crime Scene Technicians, Property Evidence staff, Command staff, Administration support staff and Executive staff. All these positions and units require a significant amount of space, and as your City grows, so do our calls for service, which in turn increases the need for more patrol officers and support staff.

What is the current status of emergency dispatchers in the City and why is so much space needed?

NPPD is designated as the backup Primary Public Safety Answering Point. NPPD handles all rollover calls for the Primary PSAP operated by Sarasota County. Any law enforcement need in North Port is rolled over to our dispatch center. In addition, we also provide space for the County to have their backup equipment set up in our call center in case they have a catastrophic event at their facility. If needed, they can have staff respond to our call center and occupy workspace to fully operate their dispatch operations within our facility. The design of a new police headquarters is consistent with the current needs for our operations and future needs. Presently, we are not looking to change the operations with Sarasota County or the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. Moving into the future, if the City and/or City Commission wants to move towards becoming a primary PSAP, then logistically we will be prepared.

Is it possible to retrofit another current facility somewhere else in the City?

Currently, there are no other sites located in North Port that make sense to retrofit. A Police Headquarters must meet certain criteria, including the most stringent hardened codes to withstand natural disasters.

The Police Department’s current HQ building was looked at by adding additional space onto the existing building. Two professional firms looked at this option and found it would cost more to add onto the building than it would to build a new HQ on another site. The current building no longer meets the new Florida Building Code. Per the code, for a hardened structure, if 25 percent of new construction is added onto the existing building, then the entire building needs to be brought up to the new building codes of today.

How much does a new headquarters cost? Are there cheaper options?

A $122 million option with 108,000 square feet of space (30,00 square feet of shell space) is recommended by the consultant and is being considered by the City Commission, accounting for the future growth of the City and police force through 2065. The cost breakdown is roughly $100 million in construction costs and $22 million for other project costs, including architecture and engineering (A/E) fees, furniture, information technology (IT) and contingency fees.

The other model for consideration is a $100 million model, which includes roughly $85 million in construction costs and $15 million for other project costs, including A/E fees, furniture, IT and contingency fees. The buildout of this project would allow for growth until 2050 by creating 6,000 square feet of shell space but reduce the square footage in the main building by 9,000 square feet.is not recommended by staff, the architect, design team or NPPD to build a Police headquarters model that is below $100 million. If done, it would value engineer too many of the needed features out of the design.

Why can’t you just add portable trailers or expand the current police station?

Portable trailers are “temporary” structures and are not hardened. Portables are not designed to withstand hurricanes and major storms. Police departments must have hardened buildings capable of withstanding Category 4 to 5 hurricanes. These hardened buildings are the shelters for our officers, our logistical equipment and 911/Dispatch staff.

Where would a new headquarters be built?

In 2023, the City Commission directed staff to proceed with plans for constructing a new police headquarters on City-owned land located on North Toledo Blade Boulevard, approving $2.7 million to purchase roughly 19 acres there. The sale was completed on Aug. 2, 2023.

How can we pay for a new facility?

City Commissioners have directed the City Attorney to conduct a legal analysis on the usage of government impact fees and how it relates to the North Port Police Department Station. Commissioners have also directed staff to investigate the possibility of going to a voter referendum at some time in the future. It could possibly allow the City to borrow a percentage of the funds needed and pay the bond back in time. Other available funding sources are being investigated.

What is Surtax?

The 1% sales surtax, on top of the 6% state sales tax, funds investments in capital improvement projects for the city, county and schools. Proceeds from the surtax may only be used to invest in public infrastructure projects such as public safety, the environment, water quality, libraries, parks, schools and roads; it may not be used to pay for general operating expenses.

Are grants available?

Currently, there are few grant opportunities accessible for new vertical construction, with the majority providing moderate funding amounts, typically capped at a few million dollars. Our team is actively researching available grant opportunities and will apply as they become accessible. Additionally, pursuing a state legislative appropriation request remains a feasible avenue for consideration.

Federal grants cannot be used for the project.

We need a new high school in North Port. Why don’t you build that first instead of a police headquarters?

The Sarasota County School District is responsible for building and maintaining schools in North Port – not the City of North Port. We are separate entities with separate budgets and taxing authorities.

What would you do with the current facility if a new one is built?

It is estimated that the current facility could be sold for roughly $7 million. However, a similar size facility will be needed for City services which are also outgrowing City Hall needs. It’s estimated that to build a similar size facility would be more than $22 million. The City’s Development Services Department has suggested it could purchase the existing building using Building Fund revenues to reimburse the City’s general fund and relocate its Building Division and other City staff there

Why can’t we just build more substations around the City?

The creation of multiple substations using the $85 million in funding sources recommended by staff could be further explored. This would not provide a centralized approach to law enforcement that is being sought with the new Police HQ. It's not the most efficient model, due to lack of streamlining services, more administrative overhead and less operational efficiency.

Nevertheless, it is possible to build with a $35 million bond referendum and $50 million use of surtax. This pathway would still allow for the addition of any extra state or federal appropriations. The project goal would be to create a comprehensive plan/strategy to build multiple stations citywide to address the city's growth. This pathway would include keeping the current Police Station for police staff and doesn't address the need for space at City Hall.

Why did we decouple the Emergency Operations Center from the NPPD HQ project?

That option was discussed at one point. Ultimately it was determined that to be more effective and efficient for emergency operations, a standalone EOC was recommended by emergency operation experts. Much of the costs would still be there, as the space is needed. A goal is to reduce displacement and ensure the efficiency of police services.

Why are you including a fueling site on the proposed campus?

NPPD is the largest fleet and resource department in the City of North Port. It makes sense and is often essential during natural or manmade disasters to have access to redundant fuel sites. A new headquarters would be one of the most hardened structures in the City when it’s needed most. Furthermore, there is no doubt that the City will need additional fueling sites in the future as we continue to grow.

Why are there several covered parking spaces?

With having the largest fleet in the City, it is essential to protect those assets from the elements as much as possible. This is Florida. Gear, electronics, and evidence would benefit from those handling them if the area was covered to traverse without being impacted by those elements.

Can’t we work on roads or other infrastructure needs before building a Police headquarters?

The City is balancing many infrastructure projects and needs in anticipation of North Port’s rapid growth. These include roads, bridges, water/wastewater services and public safety facilities.

In the summer of 2023, you may have seen a van equipped with multiple cameras and devices driving throughout North Port. That vehicle was part of a road condition assessment study and it gathered valuable data on everything from minor cracks to potential road base damage for in depth analysis.

Over 800 miles of roadway were evaluated, and over 85% of the City’s roadways were found to be in very good or excellent condition.

To ensure roads are meeting expectations, routine traffic counts assess the daily and peak-hour traffic conditions of the transportation system. The data obtained from these counts determines the level of service (LOS) using criteria from the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) adopted by the Florida Department of Transportation. Learn more about road capacity and what's being done.