SPI Insights

City staff updated El Paso councilmembers on January 18 on the progress of several public safety capital projects that were part of the successful $413 million bond election in 2019.

According to the city’s procurement forecast, it will schedule design-build solicitations for summer 2022 to build a $90.6 million police department headquarters and a $29.6 million fire department headquarters.

The city also anticipates advertising for design-build services this summer for a joint public safety training academy to be co-located with the fire department headquarters and a fire vehicle maintenance and logistics center to service fire department fleet vehicles and house supplies for fire stations throughout the community.

El Paso police will contribute $19.9 million to the academy, and the fire department will fund $29.6 million for its portion of the academy plus the logistics center.

Some of the academy’s amenities will include fire training props, an indoor shooting range, swift water rescue pool, classrooms/auditorium, fitness gym, a simulation room, and a police tactical training facility. The facility also will feature a mock courtroom and an emergency vehicle training area.

The academy’s design and construction are scheduled for November 2022 through June 2025. El Paso also is planning a $24.6 million regional command center. Design work is expected to begin this spring with construction to be completed in spring 2024.