Pompano Beach Police Department Transition Study

The engagement

What We Did

The City of Pompano Beach receives law enforcement services under contract with the Broward Sheriff’s Office and sought a clear account of what standing up a municipal department of its own would involve. The Center for Public Safety, working as a subconsultant to Raftelis, prepared four companion studies covering facilities, technology, workforce, and cost. The planning problem was defined at the outset: a resident population of more than 112,000 across 24 square miles. The facility was programmed against a 400-person design capacity, deliberately ahead of the initial hiring plan so that the building would not constrain the department later.

The space needs assessment translated that organization into a facility program of 99,482 gross square feet across twelve functional divisions, from public interface and community engagement through patrol, investigations, training, support services, and fleet operations. Space standards were applied consistently at the room level, with a 25 percent efficiency factor for circulation and building systems and a reduced 20 percent factor for the large open bays of vehicle operations. Site testing indicated a 9.6-acre requirement within a recommended range of 9 to 11 acres, accommodating a three-story footprint, staff and public parking, stormwater capacity suited to coastal conditions, and an allowance for future expansion.

The technology needs assessment reviewed six categories of systems, spanning core operational platforms, officer technology, communications, evidence and investigative tools, building infrastructure, and a real time crime center, each specified to interoperate with county and regional public safety networks rather than duplicate them. The hiring and retention plan set out a workforce of 271 sworn and 90 civilian positions, sequenced across four phases over 24 months, and addressed background investigation throughput, academy coordination, field training, career pathways, and employee wellness. Cost estimating was prepared on a planning basis for both facility construction and startup requirements, with assumptions and sources documented for later refinement.