Construction has started on long-planned fencing around San Diego police headquarters, years after officials highlighted the need to beef up security at the downtown building.
The design calls for metal fencing made up of vertical posts, standing 8 to 10 feet high, to encircle the department’s headquarters at 1401 Broadway. Officials say it will protect critical public safety operations housed in the building.
The need for the fence, which will cost $3.1 million, was discussed as early as 2018 in a police department internal memo, police spokesperson Ashley Nicholes said.
There’s a grassy area outside the Broadway entrance that is considered public park space, so contractors will install outer rolling gates that will allow public entry to the space. Those gates will generally remain open 24/7 but can be closed when “security needs arise,” the department said in a news release.
The main Broadway entrance will remain open to the public from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday each week. Employee-only zones, including the E Street walkway and the main parking lot, will become secure areas accessible via key cards.
The main Broadway entrance will remain open to the public during business hours. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Nicholes said the downtown building has been the target of vandalism, such as window breaking, trespassing and other disturbances. Recently, she said, a female employee was allegedly assaulted in the parking lot. An arrest was made in that case, she said.
Construction is expected to last several months, and city officials expect it to have limited impact on public access, although they said there could be minor impacts to parking near the building.
The $3.1 million price tag for the project includes design, materials, permits and construction costs. Palm Engineering was awarded the contract.
Nicholes declined to release the 2018 memo that highlighted the need for the fencing, saying it was labeled confidential and addressed operational security concerns. She said no single incident was cited in the memo that prompted the call for more security. She said other police facilities already have similar fencing and said the project is intended to “align security measures.”