City Marks Opening of the Public Safety Building
Published on November 16, 2025
NEWS RELEASE
CITY MARKS OPENING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING
Over 200 community members celebrated the new home of the Police Department, Fire Department Administration and Office of Emergency Services
PALO ALTO, CALIF.--- Today, City officials celebrated the opening of the new home for the Palo Alto Police Department, 911 Emergency Dispatch Center, the Emergency Operations Center, the Office of Emergency Services, and Palo Alto Fire Department Administration through a ribbon-cutting ceremony and public tours. Over 200 community members and City staff were present.
The $123.5M project is one of ten included in the 2014 Council Infrastructure Plan noting a total capital value of $260 million. Improving public safety services, the Public Safety Building enhances community resiliency and emergency response for the community and Stanford University. The Public Safety Building offers 57,000 square feet of space within a three-story structure, basement, and operational yard. The building will be a workplace for 150 city employees.
“With its distinctive architecture, enhanced work environment, and core mission to protect us all, I hope this remarkable new facility becomes an icon representing our city’s commitment to the public safety of our citizens,” said Ed Lauing, Palo Alto mayor. “I believe this commitment is the fundamental obligation of local government to its residents and the Public Safety Building is fundamentally a new way forward for enhancing public safety operations to serve the Palo Alto and Stanford communities.”
Palo Alto residents voted on two tax measures to advance 10 key infrastructure projects within the 2014 Infrastructure Plan, with the Public Safety Building being the highest priority. Designed to be a secure essential service building to provide 24/7 standalone operations after a major disaster for well over 72 hours and to withstand 150% of the earthquake forces required for a typical office building.
“I am honored to be here today, as Palo Alto's Assemblymember and more importantly, as a former member of the Infrastructure Blue Ribbon Committee that - 15 years ago-was tasked with developing a plan to keep up, catch up and move ahead with funding Palo Alto's infrastructure needs,” said Marc Berman, California State assemblymember. “This new Public Safety Building is about respect; for our public safety personnel working 24/7 to protect the community and for the community that will be served by this world class facility.”
With three public safety departments together in one building, it will increase working synergy. In addition, the proximity to the North County Courthouse allows for easy access to the Court and even better collaboration with the District Attorney’s Office.
“We are finally here today, and it is exciting to share the Public Safety Building with the community. The building represents the value of public safety in our personnel and the value of public safety services we provide on behalf of the community,” said James Reifschneider, assistant chief of police. “I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge our fallen officers, and as we come to work each day, their bronze plaques will be a reminder of their service to our community.”
Meeting spaces in the Public Safety Building are named after each of Palo Alto Police Department’s fallen officers- Officer Lester Cole, Officer Gene Clifton, and Officer Theodore Brassinga. Additionally, plaques honoring each officer will be located in the public lobby. There is also a public plaza, multi-purpose training room, meeting space, and public parking available at the new California Avenue Area Parking Garage.
Project development proceeded in parallel for the Public Safety Building and the California Avenue Area Parking Garage - across the street, in recognition of the twin goals of a site for the Public Safety Building and providing additional parking to support the Cal Ave. business district. The linkage between the projects is reinforced by the Garage’s top level solar canopy, which provides electrical power to the Public Safety Building via an underground conduit connecting the two structures.
ABOUT THE PALO ALTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Palo Alto Police Department responds to 55,000 calls for service annually supported by 125.5 FTE (86 sworn) and is organized across eight divisions: Field Services, Technical Services, Investigations, Traffic Services, Parking Services, Police Personnel Services, Animal Services, and Administration. The Palo Alto Dispatch Center will be relocated to the new facility, which has the third highest call volume in Santa Clara County due to providing dispatch services for the Palo Alto Airport, Police, Fire, Public Works, and Utilities departments and Stanford University.
ABOUT THE PALO ALTO FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Fire Department operates six fire stations, and one seasonally staffed station in the Foothills Nature Preserve through an agreement with Santa Clara County Fire Department and Los Altos Hills County Fire District. The department responds to 9,410 calls for service annually within the Palo Alto and Stanford jurisdictions. Palo Alto is the only fire department within the County to operate its own emergency medical ambulance service, with over 120 full-time employees (sworn and non-sworn).
ABOUT THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
The Office of Emergency Services develops and maintains emergency plans and policies and awareness of threats to our community. Promoting resiliency and preparedness among the whole community, it maintains a Mobile Emergency Operations Center and an Emergency Operations Center to ensure operational readiness to respond to local and regional threats. Staff also administer the Emergency Services Volunteer program, boasting over 800 community members ready to support community resiliency in an emergency situation.
Learn more about the City of Palo Alto at www.PaloAlto.gov
For project details, go to www.PaloAlto.gov/PSB
Photo From Left to Right: Councilmember Julie Lythcott-Haims, Councilmember Pat Burt, City Manager Ed Shikada, OES Chief Ken Dueker, Fire Chief Stephen Lindsey, Public Works Director Brad Eggleston, Mayor Ed Lauing, Councilmember Keith Reckdahl, Assistant Police Chief James Reifschneider, Former Mayor and Councilmember Vic Ojakian, Vice Mayor Vicki Veenker, Councilmember George Lu, Councilmember Greer Stone, Former Mayor and Councilmember Karen Holman, Former Mayor and Councilmember Eric Filseth, Assemblymember Marc Berman.